


I Need A Sugar Daddy

by Patd06



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sugar Daddy, M/M, Oral Sex, Phone Sex, Sexual Content, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-29
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-01-21 06:46:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 53,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1541462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Patd06/pseuds/Patd06
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wanting to help his father keep the Kurosaki Clinic open, Ichigo signs up for services on ineedasugardaddy.com where he meets the handsome, successful CEO Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I Need the Money

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I randomly got this idea one day while I was at work and thinking to myself about how much minimum-wage sucks ($7.25 is for shit)...I just thought to myself, "damn...I need a sugar daddy", and this little story was born...I'm not entirely sure how long it's going to be, but I have some nice ideas for it...hope you enjoy:)

Ichigo quietly watched his father work on stitching up the wound on his friend's arm.  He admired how focused and dedicated the man was to what he did, even if he was a total doofus in all other cases.  For as long as he could remember, half of his house was always bustling with patients who needed medical attention, but now, he'd go weeks without seeing one.  It wasn't because his father was incompetent or charged too much money; in fact, Isshin Kurosaki was renowned in the medical field, and he never charged more than what was necessary to keep his clinic running.  No, times were just changing; healthcare that was sufficient was a rarity, and most times, people simply couldn't afford to seek treatment.  Although he loved to help people, Isshin could not afford to run the Kurosaki Clinic as a free one; he had his son and twin daughters to provide for after all.

Ichigo had a small part-time job at a retail store run by his father's good friend, Kisuke Urahara.  Despite his father's protests, Ichigo gave every cent he made to him in order to keep the clinic from shutting down.  It just wasn't enough though.  There were times when they could barely afford to put food on the table.  Ichigo would sometimes give his dinner to his little sisters Karin and Yuzu in order to ensure that they'd had enough to eat, while he ate only if his friend Renji decided to come over.  That's how things had been for the past year.

Isshin smiled as he finished wrapping Renji's wound with crisp white gauze.  The red headed boy jumped down from the gurney and reached into his pocket pulling out an unnecessarily large wad of money and handing it to the doctor.  Both Ichigo and Isshin looked at him like he'd grown a second head.  Renji just smiled a shark tooth grin.

"Keep the change, doc," he said.  Ichigo shook his head and Isshin stared at the wad which was easily two thousand dollars.

"Ren, the hell were you doing walking around with that much money?" Ichigo asked.  Renji just shrugged.

"It's called 'pocket change', Ichi."

"Since when is two thousand dollars 'pocket change', Ren?"

Renji shrugged once more as Isshin continued to stare at the money.

"Thanks for patching me up, doc.  See you later, Ichi." With that the boy turned to leave the clinic, while Isshin dropped heavily into his chair.

"How much is Kisuke paying you kids?" he asked, dumbfoundedly.  Ichigo chuckled.

"Ren only works at the store on Tuesdays, dad.  I don't know where he got that money, but hey if it'll help keep the clinic open--"

"I'm shutting it down." Ichigo felt his heart drop to his kneecaps.

"What?"

"We just can't keep it up, son.  I mean look at the place," Isshin said.

The clinic's lackluster appearance was due to the fact that there wasn't enough money to worry about things like renovations.  The paint was chipping, one of the windows was cracked from a little soccer ball incident, and the door would stick whenever it got too hot or too cold.  Isshin used the supplies that he could afford, and though most of them were outdated, and far from state-of-the-art, they were functional.  To Ichigo, it didn't matter; this clinic had been a part of his life since he was a little kid.  He couldn't let it get shut down.

"Dad, you can't.  I'll pick up more hours at the store, I'll even get a second job.  You don't have to close the clinic," he said.  Isshin shook his head solemnly.

"Ichigo, I know that you want to help, but it just isn't going to work.  I don't want you spending your life trying to save everyone, alright?  Just let it be."

"But dad--"

"Ichigo!"  Ichigo jumped at the sudden elevation of his dad's voice.  He lowered his gaze as Isshin ran a hand over his face.  "Son, I want you to do what's best for you, okay?  Stop worrying about other people's problems just this once.  Then you can go right back to meddling and saving the day, alright?"

Ichigo nodded, though he didn't agree with what his father had said at all.  He turned and left the clinic, heading into his house.  Suddenly, he found himself sitting on his ass as he'd walked right into Renji's solid frame.  He rubbed his forehead looking up at the shark toothed idiot.  Renji smirked and reached out a hand to help Ichigo up.

"Dumbass.  I thought you were gone," Ichigo grumbled.  Renji chuckled.

"Nah, I was about to leave when your sister told me she was making cookies.  You know, there's always a need for cookies, bro." Ichigo rolled his eyes as Renji laughed.  Then suddenly, the boy sobered, laying a hand in his orange haired best friend's shoulder.  "I heard about the clinic." Ichigo sighed.

"I guess it's for the best.  Dad seems really stressed.  It's his life's work though.  What's he going to do without it?  I really wish there was a way I could help, you know?" he said.  Renji nodded before looking around.  Both of Ichigo's little sisters were within earshot.

"C'mon, let's finish this conversation upstairs," he said.  Ichigo shrugged and went up the stairs while Renji followed closely behind him.  Once they were in Ichigo's room, Renji sat down on the floor while Ichigo flopped down on his bed covering his eyes with his arm. "I have a way that you can help."

Ichigo lifted his arm just enough to peek at his idiot friend.

"But dad said--"

"I know, I heard, and since when do you listen to him anyways?" Renji asked, grabbing Ichigo's laptop from his desk.  Ichigo shrugged.

"I don't.  What's your suggestion?" Renji didn't respond, but instead he punched Ichigo in the stomach just hard enough to make him sit up.  He put the laptop into Ichigo's lap, and the boy immediately frowned at the screen.  "The fuck is this?"

On the homepage was an array of pictures of guys his age and older in "compromising" positions.  In big fancy font letters at the top of the page were the words, _I Need A Sugar Daddy_.  Ichigo glared at Renji who was barely holding back his laughter.

"Your face right now is too fucking rich, man!" he said.  Ichigo's glare intensified.

"Look, if you're just going to be a dumbass instead of actually helping, you can get the hell out," he growled.  Renji wiped a tear from his eye and cooled his laughter.  Once he was done, he took on a look of absolute seriousness as he spoke,

"I'm serious, Ichi.  This is my suggestion."

Ichigo's eyes widened as he looked back at the screen.  Renji couldn't be serious about. . . _this_.  While Ichigo knew he had a preference for both sexes, he'd never even kissed anyone, let alone did any of the stuff that was. . . _oh goodness, he could feel his cheeks heating up just thinking about it_.  He was brought out of his thoughts by the peels of laughter that were coming from his "friend".  He used the term loosely now.

"God, you are just too prude, bro.  Look, it's not that bad, okay?  Just go to the search bar and type 'senbonzakura31'."

Ichigo did as he was told and was surprised when a profile came up.  The man was gorgeous with dark hair and large grey eyes.  His bone structure was exquisite, giving him an almost regal look.  And that body.  Ichigo licked his lips.  Good lord.

"W-who is that?" he stuttered.  Renji chuckled.

"That is my sugar daddy, Byakuya Kuchiki," he responded.  Ichigo blinked rapidly.

"Kuchiki?  You mean. . .Rukia's _brother_?" he asked in a whisper.  Renji leaned forward, cupping his hand next to his mouth.

"Why are you whispering?" he asked, mirth filling his hushed tone.  Ichigo scowled.

"Fuck you, man."

"No thanks, Byakuya takes care of that just fine." Ichigo grimaced and covered his ears.

"Would you stop!  I don't need to hear this shit, dude!"

"Whatever, Chastity Hope Prudence.  Look, it's not just about the sex, alright?  Byakuya actually. . .likes me, you know?" Renji said, a faint blush dusting across his cheeks.  "And he also provides for me.  It's a really big help.  He paid for my mom's surgery."

Ichigo looked back at the screen as he contemplated his decision.  On the one hand, he could get the money he needed to save his dad's livelihood.  On the other hand, he would probably have to do. . . _those_ things with some gross old dude.  Byakuya was hot, but what were the odds of two gorgeous guys being on a site like this?  The odds were slim at best.  Ichigo sighed.  He needed the money.  He'd do whatever it took to save the Kurosaki Clinic.

"What do I have to do?" Renji's shark toothed grin returned and he pushed Ichigo over so he could look at the screen.

"Alright, click register as sugar baby."

A little while later, Ichigo and Renji sat staring at the completed profile.  In Ichigo's opinion, it was just filled with nonsense that didn't pertain to anything, like "occupation": _If I had a good job, would I need a sugar daddy?_ and "tattoos/piercings": _I'm seventeen!_ And then there was the fact that he had to lie about his age in order to get on the site.  What was he going to tell the guy, or sugar daddy, rather, when they met?   _"Oh hey! I know I said I was twenty-two, but I'm actually seventeen, and not even old enough to buy a pack of cigarettes. . .that cool?"_

He sighed as he came to the last part of the profile, the picture.  This was his least favorite part, and he and Renji had been arguing over it for the past fifteen minutes.

"Fine, just take one right now then!" Renji yelled, completely exasperated.  Ichigo scowled.  He was ready to be done with this shit, so he just nodded.  Renji stood from the bed grabbing Ichigo's iPhone from the desk.  "Alright, get up."

Ichigo mumbled obscenities as he stood.

"Hurry up."

"Take your shirt off," Renji instructed.  Ichigo's scowl deepened as a scarlet blush erupted on his face and spread to his ears.  Renji busted out laughing.  "Dude, no wonder you're still a virgin. Jesus, it's just me.  Take your damn shirt off."

Ichigo continued to grumble as he pulled his shirt over his head.  He fought back his blush, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"That's good, stay just like that," Renji instructed.  Ichigo stood still and Renji snapped the picture.  He went over to his friend, craning to see the picture.

"My hair's fucked up."

"Nah, just call it a sexy bed head," Renji taunted.  Ichigo deadpanned.

"Just put the damn picture on the profile." Renji snickered as he uploaded the picture to the profile.  Once he was done, he sat back and admired his work.  Ichigo put his shirt back on and sat down on his bed again. "Now what?"

"Now, you wait.  If one of the sugar daddies sees your profile and he likes it, he'll contact you and make you an offer.  You can accept or refuse, but just because you refuse, doesn't mean they'll leave you alone.  You'll have to block them then, okay?" Ichigo nodded as he listened to Renji's instructions.  Once he was done, he got up to leave.  Ichigo stopped him before he got to the door.

"Hey. . .thanks, Ren," he said, quietly.  Renji smiled.

"No prob, Ichi.  Let me know how it goes for you?"  Ichigo nodded and Renji left the room.

Ichigo couldn't help but wonder what he was getting himself into once he sat down in front of his laptop.  He hoped he wouldn't get some old creeper or some hulking roidhead.  He'd be fine with someone at least half as hot as Byakuya.  He jumped as a little kiss sound came from his laptop, signaling that someone had sent him a message.  He swallowed as he clicked on the message icon.

 _Here we go_.

 


	2. I Need a Change

Again.  Not a-fucking-gain.  Grimmjow ran a hand through his his mane of stylishly unkempt sky blue hair.  It just didn’t make sense; he was a grown ass man.  So how did he find himself knee-deep in immature bullshit every eleven minutes of his life?  He stared at his phone disbelievingly.  He understood that the person he was dating was a few years younger than him, he prefered it that way, but there was a limit to the nonsense that he could withstand as a grown ass man.

Grimmjow was the chief executive officer of Jaegerjaquez Inc, a global logistics firm started by his father.  He was intelligent, hard working, and he knew how to get the job done.  There were many who thought he’d been given a free ride to the top of his father’s company, but they were wrong.  Gerard Jaegerjaquez did not give free rides to anyone, and certainly not his son.  No, Grimmjow had started from the very bottom of the firm, in the mailroom, and had fought his way to the top, just like anyone else.  His father’s retirement four years ago had brought him to his current position.  No ass-kissing, brown-nosing, or any of the other basic bullshit that lesser men dabbled in did anything to advance his career.  Yes, he was very successful in every aspect except his "love" life.

_Tier Harribel: I think we should give it a rest._

What the serious fuck?

He sincerely felt like raging, spitting obscenities, flipping some tables and killing some hookers on GTA V, but alas, this had to happen while he was in a boring ass board meeting for his well-paying, yet extraordinarily boring job.  The CEO resisted the urge to sigh as he typed his quick response of “whatever” and turned his phone off.  The fucking nerve of that bitch to end a two year relationship via _text message_.  What were they, fucking sixteen-year-olds?  He tried with earnest to listen to the boring dribble that was coming from his partner, Ulquiorra Cifer’s, mouth but of course he failed.  He was brought out of his wandering thoughts when his CFO, Nnoitra Gilga, nudged him roughly.  He glared at him, and then at the person who’d been speaking.

“That’s fine.  Dismissed.”

He promptly stood from his chair, stalking out of the room.  Nnoitra followed closely behind him, sensing the tension and anger rolling from his friend and boss.  Once they reached Grimmjow’s office, the blue-haired man walked to the far side of the room, staring daggers out of the floor to ceiling window.

“You wanna tell me what the fuck just happened?” Nnoitra asked casually.  Grimmjow continued to glare out the window.

“I just got a text message from T.”

“And?  You storm out of the room after an important, though boring, speech about our new fiscal year because of a text?”

“She fucking broke it off,” Grimmjow growled, finally turning towards his dumb ass friend.  Nnoitra rubbed the back of his neck.  He understood how easily Grimmjow’s temper was set off, though he found it hard to believe the woman Grimmjow had been with for the past two years would do something so petulant.

Grimmjow and Tier had met at a mixer that was thrown by his sister, in order for important figures from her company and Grimmjow’s to interact.  Of course Grimmjow hadn’t wanted to go anyways, but once his eyes locked with Tier’s from across the room, he figured it was totally worth.  She was truly the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on, and the past two years had been the best of his life.  Needless to say he was confused as to why she decided to send him a random text message terminating their relationship.  He deduced that it was better not to dwell on it.  No use getting all lost in his feelings over some stupid shit.  He had better things to do.

But no matter how much he wrote it off as nonsense, he couldn’t help but sense a sort of pattern in his relationships.  All the people he’d ever dated were very beautiful, yet very shallow people who either only wanted his money or were completely unstimulating outside of the bedroom.  He’d dated doctors, lawyers, authors, even a handful of supermodels like Tier, and it’d all been the same.  He would never understand how he couldn’t seem to find one person who wasn’t completely vapid.  Was that too much to ask?  To meet someone who wasn’t as transparent as saran wrap?

“Damn, that’s fucked up.  Well, what are you gonna do?” Nnoitra asked.  Grimmjow shrugged, slumping down in his chair and propping his feet up on the desk.  He needed a cigarette.

“Shit if I know.  I’m sick of the same tired bull fuckery, man.” Nnoitra nodded and sat down in one of the chairs in front of Grimmjow's desk.  "I mean, I get that I prefer to date people younger than me, but why can't I find someone who's at least, you know, interesting? Someone who's not completely one-dimensional.  I just need something different, Nnoi."

Grimmjow watched as Nnoitra circled his desk and came to a stop in front of his computer.

"The fuck are you doing?" he asked as the onyx haired male began to type quickly.  Nnoitra chuckled.

"I'm helping.  Am I not allowed to help?" he replied, cheekily.  Grimmjow rolled his eyes and rested his head on his fist.  "Alright, have a look, Grimm."

Grimmjow retained his relaxed position and gazed nonchalantly at the computer's screen.  His nonchalant expression was immediately changed to one of absolute confusion.

"What the. . ."

"Now, now, Grimm.  Before you shoot this down, you remember Shinji right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"This is where I met him." Grimmjow raised an eyebrow.

The website was obviously a porn site, what with all the good looking men in inappropriate poses, in varying states of undress.  Grimmjow was not amused in the slightest.

"You met him on a porn site called ineedasugardaddydotcom?" he asked.  It was Nnoitra's turn to roll his eye.

"It's not a porn site, dumbass.  It's kind of like a dating site, minus the dating," he replied.  His answer only served to confuse Grimmjow even more.  "Look, you register, you browse through the profiles, and if you see one you like, you make them an offer."

"What kind of offer?"

"A monetary offer."

"So they're prostitutes?  And they're looking for a new pimp?" Grimmjow asked, his confusion now turned to mirth.  Nnoitra heaved an exasperated sigh.

"Jesus, Grimm, do you want my help or not?" Grimmjow chuckled but nodded nonetheless.  "Good.  They're not prostitutes, they're _sugar babies_.  You take care of them financially and they take care of you sexually."

"So prostitutes?" Grimmjow inquired, completely serious.  Nnoitra deadpanned.

"Sure, Grimm, they're prostitutes.  The thing is, once you choose them and they accept, they become inaccessible on the site, and so do you.  So basically a sugar baby can only have one sugar daddy and vice versa."

"Oh, so they're technically not prostitutes." Nnoitra facepalmed.

"That's what I've been. . .you know what, never mind.  Do you want to do this?"

Grimmjow looked at the screen once more.  He wasn't really looking for someone just to have sex with.  He was a grown ass man after all, and therefore he wanted a real relationship.  He figured it couldn't hurt to get one of these "sugar babies" just to pass the time though.

"Yeah, Nnoi.  I'll give it a try. What do I have to do?" Nnoitra's piano-tooth grin spread over his face.

"Click register as sugar daddy." Grimmjow shook his head and clicked the appropriate link.

"This sounds creepy as fuck."

"Shut up and fill out the profile."

"Keep talking to me like that and you'll find yourself standing in the unemployment line," Grimmjow grumbled as he began to fill in the profile with the required information.

_Name: Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez_

_Birthdate: July 31, 1983_

_Ethnicity: French-American_

_Body Type: Muscular_

_Height: 6'2"_

_Weight: 186lb_

_Hair Color: Blue_

_Eye Color: Blue_

_Tattoos/Piercings: 1_

_Education: Graduate Degree_

_Occupation: CEO/Logistician_

_Income:_

"The fuck they need to know my income?" he asked, irritatedly.  Nnoitra shrugged.

"That's kind of the whole point here, Grimm."  Grimmjow sighed and continued to fill out the profile.

_Income: $2,500,000-3,000,000_

_Location: Atlanta, GA_

_Hobbies: Video games, motorcycle collecting, drawing_

"Alright, now you need a picture.  Try to find one where you're not making the rape face," Nnoi said.  Grimmjow snickered as he searched through the pictures he had saved in his phone.  Once he found one without the "rape face", he uploaded it and added it to his profile.  He and Nnoitra stared at the completed profile for a few seconds before Grimmjow clicked the submit link.

"Now what?" Grimmjow asked.

“Now you browse through the profiles of the sugar babies," Nnoi responded.  "If they have a dollar symbol next to their username, then they're available.  If there's a red heart next to it, they're taken."

Grimmjow nodded and clicked the appropriate link.  He browsed through the numerous profiles, mentally writing off each one that he found undesirable.  He could tell which ones were doing this solely for the money simply by looking at their profile pictures.  He'd almost had enough of the provocative poses and kissy faces when suddenly, he came across something that made him do a double take.  It wasn't the plains of gorgeous sun-kissed skin or the shocking orange hair that caught his attention; it wasn't even those lithe and smooth muscles, or the full soft looking lips that were pulled into a delicious scowl.  No, it was his eyes.  Those gorgeous, big brown eyes looked like they were telling a story.  This kid had a reason for doing something like this.  Grimmjow didn't know why, but he had to find out what that reason was.

He clicked on the orange haired male's picture which led to his profile:

_Name: Ichigo Kurosaki_

_Birthdate: July 15, 1991_

_Ethnicity: Japanese-American_

_Body Type: Athletic_

_Height: 5’9”_

_Weight: 143lb_

_Hair Color: Orange_

_Eye Color: Brown_

_Tattoos/Piercings: none_

_Education: High School_

_Occupation: Retail/Sales_

_Income: $20,000-30,000_

_Location: Smyrna, GA_

_Hobbies: Video games, soccer, swimming_

Grimmjow searched for the boy's username and was overjoyed when he found it:

_Username: zangetsu22-$_

"Alright, this is the one, Nnoi," he said.  Nnoitra leaned over Grimmjow's shoulder to get a view of the screen.

"He's gorgeous, but he doesn't look twenty-two to me."

"Yeah, me either, but I don't care.  This is the one I want." Nnoitra shrugged.

"Alright.  Send him a message."

Grimmjow clicked the message icon under Ichigo's picture.  He stared at the blank box for a while before he realized that he had no idea of what he was supposed to say to this kid.  Nnoitra looked at his pathetic friend impassively. "Just say, 'I have an offer for you'." Grimmjow nodded and typed the message quickly, clicking the send icon once he finished.

"Alright, that's it?"

"Yeah.  Now you just have to wait for him to respond."

Grimmjow nodded once more and watched the screen.  He decided his first mission would be to find out the kid's true age.  After that, he'd make that offer, but he didn't just want the boy's body.  He wanted to know why he was doing this; he needed to know the boy and the story his eyes told.

 _Who knows_ , he thought to himself.   _This could be the change I need._

 


	3. I Need to See You

Ichigo sighed as he shoved the last of his belongings into his locker and slammed it shut.  Fuck Renji for telling him this _sugar daddy_ thing was a good idea.  He'd been bombarded with messages from creepy old fuckers who didn't know how to take no for an answer for the past three days, and he was so unbelievably over the shit.  He'd had a lot of awful interactions.  The first message he'd gotten was from _arrogante71_ , a crotchety old man who actually thought Ichigo was dumb not to accept his offer.  In Ichigo's opinion, he would've been dumb to even _think_ of accepting that man's offer.  There was no amount of money that would be enough to make him do. . . _that_ with a septuagenarian.  Just. . . _no_.

But that wasn't even the worst.  The absolute worst was a message from _zaraki47_ , the scariest man Ichigo had ever seen.  Not only was he old enough to be Ichigo's dad, the man simply looked aggressive and overbearing.  The message he sent made Ichigo uncomfortable and angry at the same time.

_zaraki47: Hey little strawberry. I'd like to lick every inch of you._

Just thinking about it made Ichigo shudder.  He quickly responded with a polite, _no thanks_ , but Renji was right about the men not taking a refusal well.  The scary-beyond-all-reason man continued to spam Ichigo with messages until the boy was forced to block him.  That was a harrowing experience he hoped he'd never have to deal with again.

He walked inside his house, grateful his father was out for a while; he couldn't deal with any welcome home roundhouse kicks.  He trudged up the stairs and slipped into his room, closing the door behind him.  He stripped down to his boxers, flopped down on his bed and exhaled.  Soon, light knocking came at his door and he sat up slightly.

"What is it?" The door opened and his little sister, Yuzu, stepped into the room.

"Hi, Ichi-niichan.  I was wondering what you'd like for dinner," she asked, sweetly.

"Whatever you make is fine, Yuzu."

"You always say that, onii-chan.  I want to know what you want."

"What I want?" Ichigo repeated.  What did he want?

He wanted to keep the Kurosaki Clinic open.  He wanted to meet someone who was willing to help him do that without him having to give up his body.  He knew that was just wishful fucking thinking, though.  He wanted stir fry; that, he could probably get without too much trouble.

"How about stir fry?" he asked.  Yuzu's face lit up as she nodded rapidly.

"Coming right up, onii-chan!" she answered, cheerily.  Once she was gone, Ichigo sat all the way up and pulled his laptop onto his lap.  He glared at it once it started up, the kiss sounds immediately resounding throughout his bedroom.

_Fuck my life._

Most of the messages were from people he'd already spoken to, but who weren't complete creepers and were actually pretty cool.  Then there were the usual creeps he hadn't bothered to block yet; but one username was different, and he clicked on the message, reading it silently.

_pantera29: I have an offer for you._

It was the first time he'd gotten a message that didn't involve some kind of sexual play on his name or dick pic.  He let out a breath as he clicked on the username which led to the man's profile.  Ichigo's heart almost stopped when he saw the picture.

_Fucking gorgeous. . ._

The man was absolutely astonishing.  His hair was a strange sky blue color, but Ichigo knew it was natural due to his eyebrows being the same color.  His gorgeous azure eyes shimmered in accompaniment to the devious smile that took up most of his handsome face.  He was wearing a suit in the picture, but it did nothing to hide the chiseled physique that Ichigo knew laid underneath the clothing.  All-in-all, _pantera29_ , or _Grimmjow_ , had it going the fuck on.  Ichigo clicked the reply link, typing his response quickly.

_zangetsu22: What's someone as gorgeous as you doing on a site like this?_

He found himself unable to look away from his screen, especially since he could see that Grimmjow had read his message and was already typing his response.

_pantera29: I could ask you the same thing, beautiful._

Ichigo's eyes widened and he fought back the blush that he could feel blazing up towards his face.  He sat staring at the words for a few more seconds before he gathered his composure and typed a response.

_zangetsu22: What's your offer?_

_pantera29: Can't we get to know each other a little better first?_

_zangetsu22: Sure, after you tell me your offer.  I don't have time to play games._

_pantera29: Ooh, feisty.  I guess what they say bout redheads is true, huh?_

Ichigo rolled his eyes.  This guy was getting on his nerves.  But he kind of liked it.  A smile had worked its way onto his face, and hadn't left since he'd started messaging the blue haired man.

_zangetsu22: You'll have to tell me your offer if you want to find out._

_pantera29: I see you're all work and no play._

_zangetsu22: Oh, I play.  But my games aren't free._

Ichigo grinned at the implications behind that sentence.  He had to admit he was pretty fucking good at this for a virgin.  His grin widened once he read Grimmjow's response.

_pantera29: Don't tempt me, baby.  You have to level up if you want to play with me._

_zangetsu22: We'll see about that.  Make your offer._

_pantera29: How's six thousand?_

Ichigo almost choked on his own breath.  Six thousand dollars?  That was more than enough, but apparently Grimmjow thought it wasn't because of how long Ichigo was taking to respond.

_pantera29: Eight?_

_How much money does this guy have?_

_pantera29: Ten??_

_zangetsu22: Okay, that's enough, hot shot.  Six will do.  What do you want?_

_pantera29: Your number._

Ichigo smiled as he typed his number and sent it.  He quickly went to his profile, changing his status to taken.  He jumped when his phone vibrated on his desk.  He grabbed it, staring at the number he didn't recognize.  He knew it could only be Grimmjow, but he wanted to make the man wait for his answer.  The phone stopped vibrating, then quickly started again, the same number displayed on the screen.  He reeled in his smile as he placed the phone next to his ear.

"Westbrooke Sperm Bank, you spank it we'll bank it," he said as calmly as he could muster.  He heard a distant, "the fuck?" and he couldn't hold in his laughter any longer. "I'm totally kidding, this is Ichigo."

He heard a peel of delicious laughter come from the other end before an equally delicious baritone poured through the receiver.

"Well, that's an interesting way to answer your phone, Ichigo."

 _Mother of God_.  This man's voice was shudder-inducing.

"Uhh, yeah, I guess," Ichigo said, stupidly.  He immediately facepalmed, but Grimmjow just chuckled once more.

"So, Ichigo, how old are you really?" he asked.  Ichigo froze on the spot.  He wasn't expecting Grimmjow to ask him that question so soon; it could only mean that the man didn't hardly believe that Ichigo was twenty-two.  And the childish prank he'd just pulled didn't help his case at all.  He figured it'd be better to just tell the truth. He could only hope that Grimmjow wouldn't back out because of his age.

"I'll be eighteen in July," he said.  There was a long pause before a sigh. "You're not gonna back out are you?  I just. . .I kind of need this."

"Nah, kid.  I'll be thirty in July also, and I'm just wondering if wanting you makes me a pedophile, because that would suck," Grimmjow responded.  Ichigo couldn't help but to laugh.

"I'm not a little kid, Grimmjow." Ichigo was confused when there was silence from the other end.  "Grimmjow?"

"I just wanted to hear you say my name again," Grimmjow said, and Ichigo could feel his face heating up at the lower tone his voice had taken.  "Your voice is lethal, baby."

Ichigo's blush intensified as he answered, "So is yours."

Grimmjow chuckled.  "So how about you tell me about yourself, Ichigo."

"Uh, okay.  Well, I'm seventeen and I live in Smyrna, Georgia.  I really hate it here though; I wish I could go to Japan.  That's where my parents are from.  Well, my mom died when I was nine, but both of them were from this place called Karakura."

"So you speak Japanese?" Grimmjow asked.  Ichigo shrugged.

"Yeah.  My dad didn't want us to lose our roots just because we live in America."

"Us?"

"Yeah, I have two little sisters.  They're twins, Karin and Yuzu.  They're different as night and day, I swear.  People say Karin takes after me, as far as her attitude and persona, and Yuzu takes after our mother."

"So it's just you guys and your dad?"

"Yeah.  My dad's a doctor.  He runs a clinic out of the second half of our house.  Well, he did." Ichigo sighed. "He can't afford to keep it open anymore.  People have a hard time getting proper healthcare, and he can't run the clinic for free.  It's a real dump, and I hate to say it, but it's true.  I've been trying to help out, but it's not enough."

"So that's why you're doing this," Grimmjow stated, rather than asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, kid, you're lucky you caught my eye.  You could've been kidnapped by some creeper already.  Don't worry though.  I'll take care of you."

Ichigo blushed again before a wondrous idea popped into his head.

" _Arigato gozaimasu, Grimmjow-sama_."  He heard the man's breath hitch.

"What did you say?" he asked.  Ichigo smiled.

"I said 'thank you very much', and I used the Japanese honorific for a person who's of a higher standing like a lord, or in this case, a _master_."

"Master, huh?  That's got a nice ring to it," Grimmjow said.

"Well, don't expect me to call you that all the time.  It'll only happen on special occasions like when we. . .uh. . ." Grimmjow snickered, and Ichigo scowled. "What's so funny?"

"Are you a virgin, Ichigo?"

"Well, yeah; I'm only seventeen, dude." Grimmjow full-out laughed at this.  Ichigo growled.  "Why is that funny to you?"

"I'm sorry, kid, but _seventeen_ doesn't exactly constitute _virgin_ anymore.  I was just amused that you thought it was so obvious that you were."

"So glad I could _amuse_ you, sir," Ichigo quipped, sarcastically.  He heard Grimmjow groan.

"Ugh, don't call me _sir_.  I'm already feeling like a pedo."

"Why?"

"Because I've been hard ever since I heard you say my name for the first time."

Suddenly, Ichigo's throat was terribly dry, and he could feel sweat beading up on his palms and goosebumps rising on his skin.  Grimmjow's voice had lowered again, and he could almost feel the lust radiating through the phone's receiver.  He swallowed, and took a deep breath.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah.  I already told you; your voice should be illegal," Grimmjow replied.  "Then you just had to go and speak Japanese, calling me 'master' and shit.  It's just not fair."

"Well, is there anything I can do to help, _Grimmjow-sama_?" Ichigo asked, lowering his own voice an octave.

“You can help me get off, seeing as this is all your fault anyways,” Grimmjow replied.  Ichigo chuckled and took in a shaky breath.  He knew where this was leading, and he had absolutely no idea what to do.  He figured it’d be best to milk that very fact.

“But, Grimmjow-sama, I don’t know what to do.  Please tell me.”

“Fuckin'. . .you're doing this shit on purpose, aren't you?"

"No," Ichigo said, lowly. "I need you to tell me exactly what to do."

"Tell me what you're wearing."

"Only boxers.  I've kinda been wearing only boxers the whole time."

"Damn, baby.  I wish you could see how hard I am," Grimmjow purred.  Ichigo felt like his face was going to explode, along with his groin.  He'd become painfully hard since these shenanigans had begun.

"I wish you were here with me.  I'm so hard too.  Tell me what you want to do, Grimmjow-sama," he said, as he pushed down his boxers, relishing in the coolness that surrounded his overheated length.

“Well, if I was there with you, I’d start by kissing that long neck of yours.  Then I'd try to use my tongue on every inch of that gorgeous skin, especially your chest.  I love how smooth your skin looks."  Ichigo smiled as he began to stroke himself, using his thumb to rub small circles over the tip. "Are you touching yourself, baby?"

"Yes, Grimmjow-sama, but it would feel so much better if it was you.  Please tell me more," Ichigo replied, sensually.

"Alright.  Do you want me inside you, baby?"

"Yes, Grimmjow-sama. . ."

"Well, you have to stretch yourself, okay?"

“Okay. . ." Ichigo said.  He spread his legs slowly and placed the phone between his ear and shoulder. He brought two of his fingers to his lips, drenching them with his saliva.  He gave a slight moan as he pushed the first one inside of himself.

"I like it when you moan for me, baby.  Can you do it a little louder?" Ichigo complied and moaned louder as he added his second finger.

"Oh, Grimmjow-sama, you feel so good inside me. . ."

"Fuck, Ichi, you're so sexy.  I'm close, baby," Grimmjow said.  Ichigo mewled and writhed as he used his fingers to bring himself over the edge.

"I'm cumming, Grimmjow-sama," he moaned as his release spilled over his palm and onto his abdomen.  He heard a sound somewhere between a moan and a growl signaling that Grimmjow had climaxed as well.  Ichigo listened to Grimmjow's breathing as he steadied his own.  He'd never come close to doing anything like this with anyone else.  He knew for certain that he wanted to do it again.  Especially with this gorgeous blue-haired man.

"Ichi?" Grimmjow said, pulling Ichigo out of his thoughts.

"Yes?"

"I want to see you." Ichigo felt a little flutter in his chest.

"I want to see you too, Grimmjow."

"Tomorrow, I'll have someone pick you up, okay?  We'll do something nice." Ichigo smiled.

"Okay. _Yoi yume o_ , Grimmjow-sama."

"I don't know what that means, but I'll see you then." Ichigo laughed.

"I can't wait."


	4. I Need an Answer

Ichigo fidgeted in his seat glancing at the clock.  It had to have been the sixth time he'd looked in the past twenty minutes, but he couldn't help himself.  He was more than excited to meet Grimmjow in person, and he had a feeling that he wouldn't be disappointed.  He did his best to hide his smile when he noticed that it was almost three o'clock.  His friend, Shinji Hirako, noticed his uneasiness and nudged him.

“What’s up with you, Ichi?  I know Mr. Yamamoto is boring as fuck, but damn.”

“No, Shin.  It’s just. . .I’ll tell you later,” Ichigo said, just as the bell signaling the end of the day rang.  Ichigo checked his phone and saw a text from Grimmjow:

_I sent someone for you.  He'll be waiting out front._

Ichigo felt himself smiling, which caused Shinji to look at him incredulously.  Renji joined them and chuckled at Ichigo's dreamy eyes and Shinji's skeptical stare.

"What's up, guys?" he asked.  Ichigo continued to stare off while Shinji answered Renji's question.

"There's something wrong with him.  Can't you tell?  I mean, he's smiling.  It's creepy." Renji outright laughed.

"I take it you met someone?" he asked Ichigo. The orange head blushed and nodded slightly.  "Is he coming here?"

"No, but. . ."

Just then, there was a loud commotion outside the school.  The three teens ran outside with Ichigo leading the way.  The orangette pulled up short once he saw what the cause of the commotion was.  There, sitting at the front gate of the school was a ridiculously expensive looking white Maybach.  A tall slender man with stylish pink hair and golden eyes stood next to the car with a sign that had Ichigo's name on it.  Ichigo could feel all eyes on him as he walked towards the man.

“Ichigo Kurosaki?” he asked.  The teen nodded and shook the man’s outstretched hand.  “I am Szayelaporro Granz, and I will be your indefinite chauffeur.”

“Oh.  Well, thank you,” Ichigo said, politely.  Szayelaporro nodded and opened the back passenger door.   Ichigo looked back at Shinji and Renji, ignoring the other spectators who were still watching.  “See you guys later, okay?”  The two nodded, still just as dumbfounded as the rest of the crowd.  Ichigo got into the car and waited for Szayel to get in the driver’s seat.  He waved to his friends as the car sped down the street.

“Mr. Jaegerjaquez instructed me to take you straight to his estate today, but from here on out, I’ll be around to take you anywhere you want to go,” Szayelaporro said, looking at Ichigo through the rearview mirror.  Ichigo pondered this for a second before he shook his head.

“I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.  How about I just call you when I need you?”

“I’ll have to discuss it with Mr. Jaegerjaquez, but I see no problem with that.”

The car fell silent as Ichigo took in the sights around him.  He couldn't help but wonder if they were moving too fast.  Then again, this was a different kind of relationship.  Grimmjow technically wasn't Ichigo's boyfriend.  Did that mean that Ichigo was still allowed to date other people?  When Ichigo thought about it, he hadn't really been interested in anyone around his town.  He'd always felt that he was too young to worry about things like relationships and sex, but now, he felt that that was about to change.  Ichigo wanted to have a relationship with Grimmjow.  As long as their age gap didn't matter to the older man, Ichigo didn't have a problem with it either.  He jumped as his phone vibrated in the pocket of his jacket.  He pulled it out, skimming through all the text messages on the screen:

_Renji Abarai: So, was I right, or was I right?_

_Shinji Hirako: I'm not even kidding, dude.  Your ass better be callin me to explain that shit, or I will be killing you._

_Rukia Kuchiki: Ooh, Ichi!! You're gonna be in big trouble if you don't come over and tell me whose car that was and what you were doing getting into it!_

_Orihime Inoue: ASDFGHJKL!!! I want details, Ichigo!! I demand the deets!!!_

_Maki Ichinose: Is there something you're not telling me?_

Ichigo frowned at the last message. He'd almost completely forgotten about Maki.  Although, that was quite a feat considering the guy was about as annoying as a telemarketer when a payment is three weeks past due.  He was a senior who'd been trying to get Ichigo to date him for the past two years.  Ichigo had to admit that Maki was good-looking, but his personality was shit.  He was arrogant, rude, and when he didn't get what he wanted, he was downright bratty.  Ichigo couldn't stand it.  He honestly didn't know why Maki was sending him messages like that; the orangette hadn't looked in his direction for at least six months.

Ichigo was brought out of his thoughts by the car slowing down.  He peeked out the window, and his mouth immediately dropped open.  They were entering a driveway framed by lush green bushes and a wrought iron gate.  A moderate number of trees lined the curved path that led to the most gorgeous house Ichigo had ever seen.  Szayelaporro stopped the car in front of the stairs leading to the front door, and Ichigo pulled his backpack onto his shoulder and moved to open the door.  Szayelaporro stopped him and opened the door for him.

“You can go right inside.  Mr. Jaegerjaquez is expecting you.” Ichigo thanked him softly and stepped out of the car, heading toward the entrance of the house.  He took a deep breath before turning the knob and pushing the front door open.  His mouth fell open once more as he took in the sight before him.  The door led to an extravagant foyer with black marble floors that reflected his image back at him.  He walked in and shut the door behind him, strolling slowly around the corner of a curved staircase.  There at the bottom of said staircase stood the man of the hour, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.

His arms were crossed over his broad chest as he leaned against the wall.  His sideways smirk lit up his electrifyingly blue eyes, and his bright blue hair stood straight and proud.  He wore black slacks and a black dress shirt with a loose silver tie hanging around his neck.  Ichigo could tell that his build was superb, and he found himself struggling to maintain his composure.  He hadn’t doubted that Grimmjow was gorgeous, no, but he’d had his speculations that his picture might have been retouched.  But here, standing a good five feet in front of Ichigo, he was.  And he was _exquisite_.  Little did he know that Grimmjow’s thoughts were following the same line as his own.

The CEO took in the sight of the young man before him with appreciation.  The male was nearly half a foot shorter than him.  His lissome frame was decorated with smooth, slightly tanned skin.  He wore clothes that Grimmjow was sure were at least a size too small for him, but he had no complaints.  The teal colored skinny jeans and black V-neck shirt fit him well, and the dumbfounded expression on his youthful face was adorable.  When he finally looked at Grimmjow, the blue haired male was floored by his beautiful cinnamon colored eyes.  They were even more gorgeous in person.  Grimmjow smiled at Ichigo, and took a few steps toward him.  Ichigo looked up at the older male and finally asked the question he’d been holding in for the past few minutes.

“This is your house?!” Grimmjow raised an eyebrow before chuckling softly.

“Well, I sure hope so, since I paid for it,” he responded, and Ichigo felt a shiver inch its way down his spine at the sound of the man’s voice in person.  “You want something to drink?” Ichigo found that his own voice had abandoned him, so he just nodded slowly.  Grimmjow chuckled once more and gestured for Ichigo to follow him.  “Just drop your bag right there.” He led Ichigo through a dining area with bright red walls and hardwood floors into a kitchen that was just as pristine and beautiful as the rest of the house that he’d seen so far.  Grimmjow pulled two bottles of water from the refrigerator and handed one of them to Ichigo.  They made their way to a small room off to the side of the kitchen with a white marble table and gorgeous glass chairs.  Grimmjow sat down first and Ichigo followed suit once he was sure that the chair wouldn't break.

"So, Ichigo, I was thinking of having my chef prepare us some dinner and then I'll show you one of my most prized possessions," Grimmjow said.  Ichigo nodded as he took a sip of his water.  "What would you like?"

"Whatever they make is fine.  There isn't much that I don't eat." Grimmjow nodded, before pulling out his phone and typing something quickly.  Ichigo waited until he was done to speak again. "So, Grimmjow, I told you about me on the phone, but you didn't tell me anything about you." The blue haired man took a sip of his own water before he responded.

"Oh I would have if someone hadn't distracted me," he said with a wink.  Ichigo blushed and looked away.  "Anyway, what do you want to know?"

"Everything," Ichigo replied, still refusing to meet Grimmjow's eyes.

"Alright.  Well, my parents are from France, but they moved here right after they got married, so both my sister and I were born here."

"You have a sister?"

"Yeah, her name's Nel.  She's three years older than me, but she acts like a little kid.  She owns a lingerie company that my mom started.  She's pretty creative.  Ever heard of edible thongs?" Ichigo nodded, smirking slightly. "Yeah, those come from the beautiful mind of Nelliel Tu Oderschwanck." At that, Ichigo laughed out loud.

"That's pretty cool.  So what are your parents' names?"

"Gerard and Noëlle."

"Do you speak French?"

" _Je me plais à penser ainsi_."  Ichigo's eyes widened to epic proportions and Grimmjow grinned smugly.  "What, you thought you were the only one with mad linguistic skills?"

"No it's just that. . .you're so hot." Ichigo immediately slapped his hand over his mouth.  Damn, since when had he become so loose-lipped?  Grimmjow raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you didn't say anything wrong." Ichigo removed his hand from his face and stared at Grimmjow blankly.

"Cocky bastard."

"Only ‘cause it's true."

"Whatever.  Keep talking, you're not finished yet," Ichigo said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What else do you want to know?”

“Where did you go to school?”

“ _Ecole privée de Tersac_.  It’s a boarding school in France; both Nel and I went there.  Arguably the greatest time of my life.  You’d flip shit if you saw my hair back then.”

“Why?”

“Because it was past my knees.” Ichigo promptly spit out the sip of his water that he’d just taken, causing Grimmjow to laugh loudly.

“Pics or it didn’t happen, ” Ichigo challenged.  Grimmjow laughed even harder before he shook his head.

“Some other time.  C’mon, I want to show you something.”

The older male stood from his seat and strolled through a door that led to what looked liked a sun room.  Ichigo couldn't help but to watch the way Grimmjow walked; the man had confidence radiating from his pores, and he was leaking sex appeal. It was almost too much for the younger to handle.  He fanned himself a little, thanking whatever deity for blessing humanity with someone as fine as Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.

"You coming, Ichi?" Ichigo snapped out of his thoughts, noticing that Grimmjow was waiting for him at the top of some stairs that probably led to a basement.  He nodded before he walked over, following Grimmjow down the winding staircase.  The blue haired man flicked a light switch and Ichigo promptly lost his shit.  Inwardly of course.

Stretched before him was a line of twenty plus motorcycles of various make and model.  They all looked very well kept, the gloss and shine of each one making them all the more beautiful.  Ichigo watched as Grimmjow strolled along the lineup, touching each one of the bikes gently.

"I'm guessing this is your most prized possession?" Ichigo asked.  Grimmjow nodded.

"This is my motorcycle collection.  I've been working on it for four years, and it's nearly finished.  I've got twenty-four bikes here, and once I find the twenty-fifth, my collection will be complete."

"What's the twenty-fifth?"

"A Vincent HRD A Rapide.  It's a mid-century British model that's nearly impossible to find.  The price of it has doubled over the past year because of that very fact."

"How much is it?" Ichigo inquired, gently touching one of the glossy cycles.

"About a hundred thousand." The orange haired male whistled.

"Well, good luck with that." Grimmjow laughed at that.

"Thanks.  It's not a very frugal hobby, I know, but it suits me.  I love to ride motorcycles, so it only seemed right to have a collection.  It started out with just three, but the deeper I got into it, the more I felt the need to finish what I started."

Ichigo nodded.  He admired the older man's dedication to his chosen hobby.  He followed Grimmjow down the line as he gave an explanation of each of the motorcycles he had in his collection. Ichigo listened intently as the other man spoke.  He loved how passionate Grimmjow was about this.  He could see the man's eyes light up with each description and he could hear the excitement in Grimmjow's voice.  Ichigo smiled to himself as the two of them came to a stop next to the last bike in the lineup.

"And this. . .this is my baby," Grimmjow said, patting the bike fondly.  "It's a Brough Superior SS100, same bike ridden by Lawrence of Arabia."

"Really?  Cool!" Ichigo exclaimed.  He looked at the older male pleadingly.  “Can we go for a ride?  Please?” Grimmjow chuckled.  How could he say no to those big brown doe eyes?

"Sure," the older man replied.  He strolled over to a nearby closet and opened the door, pulling out two helmets.  He tossed one of them to Ichigo before situating the other one onto his own head.  He waited until he felt the teen’s arms circle around his waist to start the bike up.  Once he did, he resisted the urge to groan in delight when he felt the orange head’s grip around him tighten.  “Ready?”

“Born, dude,” Ichigo answered.  Grimmjow let out a wild laugh before he hit the gas and sped forward.  For a second, Ichigo thought they were going to smack right into a wall before the aforementioned obstacle suddenly started to lower in front of them.  The scintillant light of the sun’s last rays poured into the room before the blue haired man accelerated once more and they burst out of the basement and onto the curved path of the driveway.

The man circled the estate twice, all the while alternating between accelerating and decelerating when he wanted to show the teen something along the way.  For instance, he paused the ride next to a small pond where he showed Ichigo his two pet koi, Isis and Osiris.  He let Ichigo feed the fish before he got the message that it was time for dinner.  They headed back to the main house.  Ichigo was smiling widely when he took off the helmet and handed it to Grimmjow.

“That was awesome, Grimm,” he said, not even noticing that he’d just given the older male a nickname.  Said male raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment otherwise.  He put the helmets back inside the closet.  He crossed back over to Ichigo, wrapping his arms around the male’s slim waist.  Ichigo responded by holding on to Grimmjow just as tightly.  He didn’t realize how close they were until their noses touched; they shared breaths before Grimmjow took the initiative to attach his lips to Ichigo’s soft, pliant ones.  The orange haired male let out a quiet moan that had Grimmjow’s head swimming as he deepened the kiss, using his tongue to explore every inch of that dazzling mouth.  Ichigo felt like he was levitating; he reluctantly pulled away from the taller man, gazing up at him heatedly.  Grimmjow stepped back a bit, grasping the younger male’s hands in his own.

“Ichigo, I don’t know about you, but I’m in this for more than just sex.  Would you be interested in having a relationship with me?” he asked, seeming almost nervous.  Ichigo smiled warmly.

“You didn’t even have to ask, Grimmjow.”


	5. I Need Your Opinion

Ichigo waved to Szayelaporro before he began his walk to his house.  He’d asked the pink-haired driver to drop him off two blocks away to avoid the risk of his dad or sisters seeing him get out of the expensive car.  He pulled his cell from his back pocket and sent his friends a group message inviting them over for a talk.  All except Maki of course.  Fuck him.  He pulled his shoes off once he got inside the house, trying with earnest to sneak up to his room without alerting his psychotic father to his arrival.  It just wasn’t meant to be though.

“Ichigo~!” Isshin called as he flew towards the orange haired teen.  Ichigo cursed under his breath dodging his father’s airborne body.  Yuzu popped her head around the corner at all the commotion.

“Oh welcome home, Ichi-nii.  Your dinner is in the microwave.” Ichigo nodded as he headed up the stairs.

“Thanks Yuzu.  I’ll eat it later.” He didn’t want to tell her that he was stuffed full of filet mignon and roasted potatoes.  He patted his stomach absently as he flopped down on his bed.  His phone vibrated and he fished it out of his pocket, smiling once he read the message.

_Did you make it home alright?_

**Yeah.  I had a really great time with you.**

_Same here.  When can I see you again?_

**I think it’s really up to you...**

Ichigo debated adding a statement about the fact that Grimmjow was paying for it so he had every right to decide when he could see Ichigo.  In the end, he opted out of saying that; it was something he just didn’t want to think about.

_Alright, how’s Friday?_

**Sounds great.  Call me later?**

_Definitely._

Ichigo managed to close his eyes for a few minutes before he heard a loud commotion downstairs signaling that his friends had arrived.  He had to admit that he was extremely nervous about telling his friends what was going on, but he figured they’d never get off his back about it if he didn’t.  He rolled off of his bed and onto the floor, switching on his PS3.  Renji was the first to burst through the door, followed by Rukia, Shinji, Orihime, and Ichigo’s other friend, Chad.  He mostly came for the video games.

“Hey guys,” Ichigo greeted as he returned to his bed.  The group gave their greetings; Rukia and Shinji climbed onto the bed with Ichigo, while Chad and Orihime sat down in front of the television to play a game.  Renji was the first to ask the orange head the question they’d all come to hear the answer to once he’d settled down in Ichigo’s desk chair.

“So, what’s up with the Bach, Ich?” Ichigo felt his face heating up as he answered,

“It’s my. . .boyfriend’s.” Four of his five companions gasped.  Orihime paused the game to turn around and gape at the ginger.

“What’s his name?”

“What’s he look like?  Is he fine?”

“How’d you meet?”

“How can he afford a car like that?”

The questions came at Ichigo from all directions and he chuckled and shook his head before telling his friends to keep calm.

“His name is Grimmjow.  Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.” Shinji gasped once more and covered his mouth with his hands.  “What is it, Shin?”

“That’s my honey’s best friend!  But he was dating this Spanish supermodel.  Hmm, they must’ve broken up. . .”

“Wait a minute, your _honey_?” Rukia asked.  Shinji nodded.

“Why, yes, darling; I have a rich boyfriend,” he responded easily.  “How do you think I stay so fabulous without having a job?” he added with a flip of his blonde bob.  Ichigo laughed a little, but he still had to ask.

“Who was Grimmjow dating?”

“Her name is Tier.  I’m going to text my honey right now and ask what happened.” Ichigo frowned at that, but decided to ignore it for now.

“So Ichigo, do you have a picture of your boyfriend?” Orihime asked, excitedly.  Ichigo nodded and fished his phone from his pocket.  He found the picture he took of Grimmjow while the man wasn’t looking.  They were having dinner on the terrace and the setting sun cast a gorgeous light on him and he simply couldn’t resist; Grimmjow was raising his champagne glass to his lips when Ichigo quickly snapped the picture and put his phone away.  Ichigo handed his phone to Orihime, who promptly squealed and started flailing around all over the floor.  Rukia jumped off the bed and wrestled the phone from the girl’s grasp.  She whistled and handed the phone back to Ichigo as Orihime continued to flail.

“Wow, you really got yourself a looker there, Ichi.”

“Oh my gawd, he’s so fine, I can’t~!”

“So you met him through the site?” Renji asked, nonchalantly.  Ichigo nodded.  “So I was right!  You sir owe me twenty bucks!”

“When did we make this a bet?”

“Doesn’t matter, pay up.” Rukia smacked Renji’s ponytail crooked before rejoining Shinji and Ichigo on the bed.

“So, have you guys been on a date yet?”  she asked.  Ichigo nodded again.

“I went to his estate today.  He’s really awesome, you guys,” he replied.  Orihime squealed again.  He’d forgotten that she was a total yaoi fangirl.

“How old is he?” she asked.  Ichigo figured it was better not to lie.  He didn’t have a problem with their rather large age gap, so his friends shouldn’t either.

“He’s twenty-nine.”  Another collective gasp before Renji laughed.

“Dude, you were a zygote when he was in sixth grade!”  Shinji found it hilarious and decided to add his two cent in.

“He was graduating high school when you were learning to color inside the lines!”

“When he hit puberty, you were just learning the harsh realities of potty training. . .”

“And when _you_ hit puberty, he was graduating from _college_.”  Ichigo scowled and rolled his eyes.  Like either one of them had any room to talk; he had a feeling that Rukia didn’t know about her brother’s relationship with Renji, so he figured it’d be better not to call them on it.

“Oh, hardy fucking har, you guys are comical geniuses.  I’m going to ask the opinions of the non-retarded people in the room, thanks.” Ichigo turned to Rukia.  “Do you think he’s too old for me, Ruki?”  Rukia furrowed her brow before bringing her index finger to her chin in thought.

“Hmm. . .well, I assume you’re asking for my opinion out of courtesy, because you’re Ichigo, and you’re going to do what you want regardless; but I don’t think so.  As long as both of you are comfortable, and you keep your hands to yourself until you turn eighteen, then I don’t see a problem with it.”  Ichigo smiled and nodded.  Chad voiced his opinion next,

“Whatever makes you happy is fine with me, Ichigo.”  Last was Orihime and she giggled before she answered,

“This sounds just like this fanfiction I read!” Ichigo rolled his eyes and shook his head.  “But seriously, Ichigo, I am so happy for you, and I hope everything works out well.”

Ichigo smiled.  He hoped so too.

“But I do have a question, Ichigo,” Rukia piped up once more.  Ichigo looked at her inquisitively.  “Doesn’t it seem a little fast to you?  You’re willing to attach yourself to someone you’ve basically just met so easily?  I mean, Maki’s been chasing your ass since freshman year and you barely look at him.”

Ichigo hadn’t thought of it that way.  Now that Rukia had mentioned it though, he was having second thoughts.  Adding Shinji’s tidbit about Grimmjow’s recent break-up, and he was _really_ having second thoughts.  Orihime sensed his distress, and reached out to grip his knee.

“Hey, don’t listen to Betty Buzzkill over there.  If it’s gonna work, it’s gonna work; and if it won’t, it won’t, you know?” she said, softly.  “Things are only as complicated as we make them.”  Ichigo nodded.

“Yeah, both of you are right.  But I’m going to talk to Grimmjow about this on Friday.  I think I need to think about this first.”


	6. I Need Some Time

**Chapter VI : _I Need Some Time_**

Grimmjow sighed as his cell buzzed against his desk.  He rolled his eyes and ignored it as he looked over a spreadsheet trying with earnest to find the error that was causing revenue loss for his client.  He couldn’t concentrate though, due to the incessant vibrating of his phone.  Finally he relented and grabbed the offending device and placed it against his ear.

“What?!”

“Is that any way to address the love of your life, Grimmjow?” a sultry feminine voice poured through the receiver and Grimmjow rolled his eyes once more.

“What the hell, T?  What could you possibly want, and why do you have to call while I’m at work?  I got important shit to do.”

“Oh wow, someone’s testy.  Well, I just wanted to pick a day to meet up so I can give you your key back and get my stuff out of your penthouse.”

“Fucking mail it, and get a U-Haul,” he growled.

“Is there really a need for you to be so crass, Grimmjow?  I mean, you had to have seen this coming.”  That simple statement was enough to make Grimmjow hang up.  He immediately turned his phone off and paged his assistant.

“Momo, if Tier calls, do _not_ put her through, or you’re fired.”

“Uh, y-yes sir.  Anything else I can do for you, sir?”  Grimmjow ran a hand over his face.  He’d never made it a part of his job to scare the hell out of his secretary, though he somehow managed to do it a lot.

“No, that’s all.  You can go for a break if you’d like.  Thanks, Momo.”

“No problem, Mr. Jaegerjaquez.  I will be back in fifteen minutes; please do not destroy anything while I’m gone.” Grimmjow chuckled.

“I won’t.”  

He honestly couldn’t believe that Tier had the nerve to call him like that.  How the fuck was he supposed to see that shit coming?  He didn’t know about her, but he was pretty damn happy, more or less.  Okay, so he was a little bored with the sex, but sex isn’t everything, right?  She also had a nasty habit of nagging the absolute bejesus out of him, but that was something he could look over since he loved her and all that noise.  He did love her at some point; or did he?  Now that he was thinking about it, he never recalled saying it out loud, but then again, neither did she, that he could remember.  She’d been to his estate twice in the entirety of their two-year relationship; he’d rented a penthouse in the downtown area, since she needed to be there for her work, and she also didn’t particularly care for the quiet, gated community that he lived in anyway.

That brought him to another conclusion: they didn’t have a single thing in common.  Tier was a lingerie model, Grimmjow a businessman.  They only really saw each other on weekends, with the occasional evening dinner date if Grimmjow didn’t have too much work to do, or Tier wasn’t traveling for fashion shows.  She wasn’t interested in his motorcycle collection, (she was scared to death of riding them) and she called him childish for playing video games.  She looked at some of his drawings once, and commented, “well it’s good you’re rich and successful already”.  At the time, he laughed it off; but now, after they’d broken up, he could see all this shit for what it really was.  He came to a third and final conclusion: Tier Harribel was a bitch.

He focused his attention back on his work and managed to get a few corrections made before Nnoitra burst through his office door followed closely by the ever-stoic Ulquiorra.

“You dumb fucker!” Nnoi yelled, causing Grimmjow to raise an eyebrow.  The skinny male flopped himself down in one of the chairs and his pale companion followed suit.

“Okay, I’m gonna give you a chance to explain that before I kick your ass,” Grimmjow stated blandly, as he emailed the corrected spreadsheet to his client.

“You seem to have conveniently forgotten that we had a meeting with Yoruichi Shihoin today,” Ulquiorra said.  Grimmjow rolled his eyes.

“I told you I wouldn’t be there.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean that she wouldn’t be pissed about it,” Nnoitra lamented.  Grimmjow propped his cheek on his fist, completely uninterested.  “She scared the shit outta us!  Almost made me think Ulquiorra was a real boy.”  At that, Grimmjow laughed loudly.

“Look, I knew she’d be pissed, but she brought this on herself.  Old broad needs to learn to see with her eyes and not her hands.”

“Anyway, how’d the shit go with your new plaything?” Nnoi asked.  Grimmjow rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

“He’s not a plaything, shithead.  He’s my. . .I guess the term’s. . .boyfriend?” Nnoitra gasped and Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow.  Grimmjow leaned back in his chair, giving his companions a confused look.  “What?”

“Uhh, that’s a little speedy, don’t you think, officer?” Nnoi responded.  Ulquiorra gave a slight nod in assent.  “I mean, didn’t you pay the kid to come to your house so you could fuck him?”

“Hell no!  He’s seventeen, man.”

“You’re having relations with a minor?” Ulquiorra asked, a hint of shock in his otherwise monotonous tone.  Grimmjow ran a hand over his face.

“I.  Am.  Not.  Fucking.  Him.”

“Then what the fuck are you paying him for?!” Nnoitra yelled.  This time, both of Ulquiorra’s eyebrows greeted his hairline.

“Is the minor also a prostitute?”  Grimmjow ignored the question, simply because he found it stupid and turned his attention to Nnoitra.

“You’re telling me you fucked Shinji before he turned eighteen?”  The lanky male cleared his throat and suddenly found the carpeted floor extremely interesting.

“Look, this isn’t about me; I was asking a serious question before we started our dangerous trek into the peanut gallery.  You sure the kid ain’t just a Chamberlain?”

Grimmjow hadn’t thought of it that way.  Honestly, he just felt right about the kid, something he hadn’t felt with any of the people he’d dated previously.  Now that Nnoitra had brought it up though, he was having second thoughts.  Could he be subconsciously using Ichigo as rebound?  That was the very last thing he wanted to do.  Maybe it’d be better if they waited for a while before starting a relationship.  He didn’t want the orange haired male to think that he didn’t want to be with him, but he needed time to figure out. . .whatever this was, and he also needed to make sure he was completely done with Tier. Bitches could get clingy when they wanted to.

“I don’t know, man.  I guess I should think about this a little more, huh?”

“Uh, yeah, dude.  Anyways, back to Yoruichi.  She _bitched_ the entire time. . .” Grimmjow promptly tuned Nnoitra out and became lost in his thoughts.  He surmised that he should tell the boy that he definitely wanted to be with him, but that he needed a little time to settle things between himself and his ex.  He didn’t exactly want to tell Ichigo about Tier, but he figured it’d be best to start out with everything completely open, if there was going to be a chance of them having an actual relationship.

“Dude, are you even listening right now?” Nnoitra asked, snapping Grimmjow out of his thoughts.

“Of course not,” the CEO responded easily.

“Better quit thinking so hard or you’ll set the fire alarms off.”  They shared a laugh--a slight smirk for Ulquiorra--before Grimmjow became serious once more.

“You think I was wrong for not telling Ichigo about T?” he asked.  Nnoitra seemed to ponder the inquiry for a minute before he answered.

“Maybe.  I do think you were wrong for asking the kid to be in a serious relationship with you.  What are you thinking about man?” Grimmjow furrowed his eyebrows.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I think what our less-than-eloquent comrade is trying to say is that the boy is far too young.  You are, and I quote you when I say this, a ‘grown ass man’.  The space between you two age-wise will eventually become an issue whether you want it to or not,” Ulquiorra stated.

“Plus, you’re supposed to be his financee, not his fiancé.” Grimmjow raised an eyebrow.

“Proud of yourself there?” Nnoitra nodded happily and Grimmjow ran a hand over his face.  “Alright, look; you guys are sort of right, okay?  But I like Ichigo a lot, and I want to see where this goes.  I’ll just help him out for now.  He’s a good kid, so I don’t mind.”

“So you’re not gonna fuck him?  I’m confused. . .”  Grimmjow turned his chair so that the back was facing his friends.

“Get out.”


	7. I Need to Talk to You

**Chapter VII** **:** _**I Need to Talk to You** _

Once Friday came, Ichigo found himself nauseatingly anxious. He was extremely nervous about telling Grimmjow that he wanted to wait. He knew it was the right thing to do, but that didn't help with his anxiety. He paced around his room trying to find his favorite pair of DCs. Grimmjow hadn't been specific about what they were doing, but he'd said to dress comfortably. The orange head was on his hands and knees looking for the skate shoes when he heard light knocking on his door.

"Yeah, come in!" he called. The door creaked a little, and Ichigo caught a glimpse of a pair of Tinker Bell socked feet indicating it was Yuzu. "What's up, Yu?"

"Its me, Ichi-nii." Ichigo bumped his head on the bed before he sat up staring quizzically at his tomboyish younger sister.

"Uhh, what's with the socks, Rin?" he asked. Karin rolled her eyes.

"Shut up, my feet were cold, and I was all out. Anyway, I need to ask you something. Do you think Kisuke will let me help out around the store?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow before he resumed his search for his shoes.

"Why?"

"Because soccer season is starting soon. I want to play, but I know we don't have the money to-"

"I'll take care of it," Ichigo interrupted. He'd have to ask Grimmjow about it, but he had a feeling the older man wouldn't mind. Grimmjow had opened a line of credit for Ichigo on his account; they'd concurred it'd be better than Grimmjow having to give Ichigo six thousand dollars every time they saw each other. The orange haired male had no plans to use it except for things involving the clinic and other miscellaneous emergencies, but this was an emergency in his opinion.

"How are you going to do that?" Karin asked skeptically. Ichigo shrugged nonchalantly.

"I got a second job." It wasn't a total lie.

"Thanks Ichi-nii, I swear I'll pay you back," Karin said. She hugged her brother tightly, causing him to smile. He ruffled her hair fondly.

"Don't worry about it, Rin. You're my little sister, I'm supposed to take care of you."

"I'm gonna go call Toushirou and tell him that I can play," she said, as she turned to leave.

"And then you're gonna come back and tell me who Toushirou is, correct?" Karin rolled her eyes, and frowned, both actions looking quite contradictory to the light blush on her cheeks.

"Later, safety cone."

_Ah, someone's got a crush_ , Ichigo thought. He'd get it out of her at some point. He finally found his shoes buried underneath a pile of clothes in his closet. He pulled them on and left his room to wait in the living room. He sat down just as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out thinking that it was Szayel; he frowned when he saw that it was in fact  _not_  Szayel.

_Maki Ichinose: Hey what's up? Are we not friends anymore? You haven't been talking to me..._

Ichigo rolled his eyes. Of course he hadn't been talking to Maki. He didn't like him. In the past he'd been too nice to tell the older teen that, but he was done being nice.

**That's because we were never friends. You're an asshole with a bad attitude, and I don't fucking like you. Do us both a favor and kick rocks, kthx:)**

With a self-satisfied smirk, he hit the send button. He didn't have to wait long for a response.

_Is that really how you feel?_

**Yes. It's how I've always felt. Now leave me alone.**

_Is it because of that guy who picked you up the other day? I'm rich too, you know._

**No, he has nothing to do with this, and I don't care about your money. I already told you why I don't like you. Leave. Me. Alone.**

Ichigo wanted nothing more than to throw his phone across the room. This was the exact reason he'd never been in a relationship before. The idea of being attached to someone wasn't appealing to him. What made Grimmjow so different then? Nothing that Ichigo could think of. Plus, the man had leverage on him, a means of controlling him. He shouldn't have fallen for that sugar-sweet speech about being 'in this for more than sex'. Who was he fooling? What could Ichigo possibly offer Grimmjow besides sex? He shook his head. This was a bad fucking idea. He rolled his eyes as he got another text message, but sighed in relief when he saw that it was Szayel telling him that he was waiting down the street. Ichigo stepped into the kitchen.

"Hey, Yu. I'm going out with a friend. Let Dad know for me, okay?" Yuzu nodded and Ichigo headed out the front door, making his way down the street. He looked around for the Maybach but didn't see it. He pulled out his phone to text Szayel, but stopped when he heard a horn. He saw the pink-haired male sitting in the driver's seat of a shiny black Lincoln Navigator.  _Okay, so exactly how many cars did Grimmjow have?_  Ichigo jogged over to the vehicle and got inside. He greeted Szayel before the bespectacled man started the car and drove down the street.

"Where are we going?" Ichigo asked.

"Mr. Jaegerjaquez asked me to drop you off at his penthouse; he will take you from there."

"Penthouse?"  _Okay, so exactly how many houses did Grimmjow have?_  Szayel nodded and Ichigo settled himself in for the ride. About twenty minutes later, the truck stopped and Ichigo hopped out before Szayel could open the door for him.

"It's number twenty-one hundred."

"Thanks," Ichigo said as he headed for the entrance. To say the building was intimidating would be an understatement. He made his way through the lobby towards the elevator. He rode up to the twenty-first floor and found his way to the only door, knocking twice. He heard a voice from inside before the door swung open revealing the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in his young life.

"Who're you?" she asked, and Ichigo could hear the slightest bit of an accent in her speech. She was brown-skinned, with a gorgeous body that was all curves. Her eyes were crystalline green, framed by thick blonde eyelashes that matched her equally blonde hair that was cut in a short choppy style that framed her radiant face. She wore a tight black v-neck shirt and stonewashed denim short-shorts with a pair of high top black Converse. And that body. Have mercy,  _that body_. Ichigo almost drooled.  _This must be her, Grimmjow's ex_ , he thought.  _But what is she doing here?_  He was brought out of his thoughts by her snapping her fingers in front of his face. "Hellooo? I asked you a question, kid." He scowled.

"My name is Ichigo. I'm here to see Grimmjow," he said. The woman rolled her vibrant green eyes before she stepped sideways and gave a nonchalant wave of her hand. Ichigo's scowl deepened as he walked through the foyer. The penthouse was just as lavish as Grimmjow's mansion, but Ichigo wasn't surprised. He was quickly getting used to the opulence that was Grimmjow's life. He just wasn't sure where he fit into it.

"Grimmjow, there's a kid named Ichigo selling Girl Scout cookies!"

"I'm not a kid, lady," Ichigo growled. Tier chuckled as she picked up a large box and headed for the door.

"Yeah, whatever."

Ichigo sat down in what he assumed to be the living room and waited for Grimmjow to appear. Before long, he heard a soft sound akin to growling behind him, and he turned around and saw a small dog. He smiled gently; he'd always liked dogs, but he wasn't allowed to have one because of Karin and Yuzu's allergies. He reached out a hand and the dog sniffed it cautiously before she licked it. She came around to sit down next to Ichigo's feet, and he reached down to pet her.

"Wow, that's new," Grimmjow said as he joined Ichigo in the living room, sitting down on the loveseat across from him. "She doesn't usually take to people so quickly." Ichigo smiled again.

"I didn't know you had a dog."

"She's not mine, she's Tier's." Ichigo frowned in confusion. "I got her for Tier two years ago as a birthday present. She hates her though. Garnet hate's Tier, I mean, so she's leaving her with me."

"Well, that woman's a bitch. No offense."

"None taken," Grimmjow said with a laugh.

They sat in silence for a while, neither of them sure how to bring up the topic that they both wanted to discuss, uncertain of how the other would react. Ichigo was afraid that the other man wouldn't agree to help him anymore if he said he'd rather wait on the whole relationship deal. Grimmjow was more unsure of himself; he didn't know if the whole situation with Tier was completely over, and until he became sure, he didn't want to start another relationship. Finally, they both relented; there was no need for pussy-footing around the issue.

"I need to talk to you," they said in unison. They both chuckled nervously, Grimmjow scratching through the blue hair at the nape of his neck.

"You first," he said. Ichigo nodded.

"I-uh, I think we should. . .you know, slow things down a bit. It's not that I don't like you, because I do, like a lot, but. . ." Ichigo trailed off trying to find the correct words. "I just don't know if I'm ready to be in a relationship. I'll do whatever I have to to merit your payment; I just think we should keep it strictly business for now."

Grimmjow was surprised to say the least. He wasn't expecting Ichigo to have the same thoughts about their relationship as he had. The kid was much more mature than he'd given him credit for.

"I agree, and I'm sorry for rushing things. I'm an impulsive person, and you kind of made me feel. . .I don't know, different? I do want to give us a shot, but as you've witness, I've got one helluva skeleton in my closet that I've got to clear out. So I'm fine with keeping it platonic for now, and I don't mind helping you out. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to."

Ichigo resisted the urge to flail around like Orihime while reading one of her porno stories. Instead, he remained calm and crossed the room to sit next to the CEO. In his seventeen years, he'd never met someone so willing to help others without expecting anything in return. It was a personality trait of the blue-haired man's that made Ichigo all the more infatuated with him. He reached for the older man's hand and grasped it in his own.

"Now that that's settled, could you please explain to me how someone as wonderful as you ended up in a relationship with  _that_ woman?" he asked. Grimmjow chuckled a bit at the way the younger male had asked the question.

"I met her at this party that my sister threw. It was a mutual physical attraction that started it all. I'm not entirely sure how we ended up official, but I'm sure Nel had something to do with it. She's always meddling and trying to tell me how to live my life. It's beyond annoying."

"Sounds like a normal older sibling thing to do. I know I do the same thing to my little sisters. Oh, speaking of, my little sister Karin wants to play soccer for her school. Would it be okay if I used the credit card to buy her equipment? I swear I'll only use it for things like this and not for dumb shit."

Grimmjow stared at Ichigo inquisitively for a second. Was the boy really asking for permission to use his own credit card?

"It's yours, Ichigo. Why are you asking for my permission?"

"Well, I mean it's connected to your account, so I thought-"

"No, incorrect. You don't have to get permission every time you use it, and you don't have to use it for only emergencies. I really hate to say this, but do you know how rich I am? Not only do I have money, my entire family has money. You couldn't put a dent in it if you tried."

Ichigo just sat staring at Grimmjow for a while. He was unsure of how to react to what the man had said. It was a little much to take in at once. The thought that one person could have so much money while another could be near starvation was almost nauseating. He knew it wasn't Grimmjow's fault though, so he wasn't mad at the other man, but at the system. It was truly fucked up when he got to thinking about it. In the end, he just shook his head slowly.

"Well, thanks a lot for agreeing to help me. You're really generous," he said. Grimmjow gave one of his dazzling smiles and entwined his fingers with Ichigo's.

"No thanks necessary, Ichi. You hungry?" Ichigo nodded and Grimmjow pulled out his cell to call for takeout. "I'll order some food and then we'll take Garnet over to the dog park. You can turn on the TV or something. I'll be right back."

Ichigo opted not to turn on the television and instead beckoned Grimmjow's dog over to him. Garnet immediately hopped up from where she'd been near dozing and joined Ichigo on the couch. She rested her head in his lap, and he absently stroked her soft fur while he thought. Grimmjow was amazing. It only made Ichigo wonder what the man saw in him even more. He was just a kid, really, despite what he said. He didn't have anything to offer besides himself; sure that might've been enough right then, but what about in the future? He couldn't help but get the strong feeling that Grimmjow would get tired of him eventually. That was a scary thought in itself; then again, maybe he was over-thinking things. He decided to turn on the television after all. Thoughts and feelings were frightening places to get lost in.


	8. I Need Peace

**Chapter VIII** **:** _**I Need Peace** _

Ichigo almost busted a move when the bell signaling lunch rang. He'd skipped breakfast because he woke up late and the hunger was real. He stopped by his locker, grabbing his leftover dinner from the night before and headed in the direction of the cafeteria. He waved to his friends who were waiting at their usual table before he went to stand in the line for one of the two microwaves.

_I swear there's too many fucking people in this school for there to only be two microwaves_ , he thought, as he felt his stomach protest its current empty state. He was brought out of his thoughts by a tap on his shoulder. He turned around and instantly his scowl deepened to epic proportions. He was already hungrier than a motherfucker; he didn't need this shit too.

"Fuck you want?" he asked crassly. The other male had the nerve to look offended.

"You were kind of harsh on Friday, so I figured you were in a bad mood. I just want to talk to you."

"Please, not while I'm eating. Now get away from me; you're making me lose my appetite." Ichigo prided himself on being one of the nicest people anyone could meet, but there was a limit to his kindness; you only had one time to piss him off, and he was done. Maki had reached that limit a year ago.

"What the hell is your problem?" The raven-haired senior yelled in response. Suddenly all was quiet as the other students watched what was sure to be one helluva spectacle in a few short minutes. Ichigo turned around slowly, placing his food on the counter next to the microwave, his hunger long forgotten. He looked around at the people standing behind him who had also paused in their actions to watch what was happening.

"Hold on for a second while I find out who the fuck you're talking to."

The audience the two boys had acquired promptly erupted with jeers and laughter at Ichigo's comment, but he wasn't even interested. If there was one thing that pissed him off more than anything on the entire planet, it was someone yelling at him. Especially for no fucking reason. And then there was his second pet peeve. Maki stepped into his face so close that they were sharing breaths.

"You're the only person standing here."

"There are in fact two people standing behind me, you ignorant shit," Ichigo retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "And you have to be talking to one of them, because you sure as hell ain't talking to me. You got about three more centimeters before I dust your ass across this fucking cafeteria. Back. The fuck. Up."

The crowd's murmurs and jeers increased adding fuel to the already growing fire. Ichigo hated to get suspended again; he'd only had a couple of detentions so far that year, and he'd been trying with earnest to keep that up. But he'd had enough of this fucker here, and he figured it'd be worth it to blow his less-than-spotless record on this can of ass-whipping.

"One." The older male stepped closer to the oranget. "Two." Ichigo shifted into a fighter's stance, cracking his knuckles. "Thr-"

Before the other male could get the last word out of his mouth, he was landing on his his ass and clutching his more-than-likely broken nose.

"I gave you chance after motherfucking chance to leave me alone, Ichinose." The orange-haired teen danced on the balls of his feet, loosening his shoulders and smirking maniacally. "But now? Now baby? Your ass is grass and Ichigo Kurosaki is the motherfucking lawnmower."

Just as he was about to unleash a world of hurt on Maki, someone grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the scene. His anger flared even more, and he struggled against the offending person.

"Lemme go! I'll break my foot off in that fucker's ass!"

"That's quite enough, Mr. Kurosaki. You're lucky I don't break  _my_  foot off in  _your_  scrawny ass," the stern voice of the principal, Kukaku Shiba, retorted.

Defeated, Ichigo ceased his struggling and let Principal Shiba drag him from the cafeteria. He couldn't help but feel a little ecstatic about knocking the shit out of Maki, even if he didn't get to finish what he'd started. His stomach growled as he was forced into a chair in front of the principal's desk.

_Damn_ , he thought.  _I'm still hungry_.

* * *

Grimmjow steepled his fingers and stared at the plans for a new building for one of the companies that he represented. He was no architect, but something didn't seem right. It seemed that someone thought they'd be able to slip some bullshit past him. That was just not going to fly. Not today.  _It's all fun and games until Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez has to choke a bitch_. He was reaching out to page Momo, when her soft voice came through the speaker.

"Uh, Mr. Jaegerjaquez, your sister is here."  _Fuck_ , he cursed inwardly. He didn't need this right now. "Mr. Jaegerjaquez?"

"Alright, let her through," he relented. He steepled his fingers once more, this time in contemplation of whether he wanted to try to escape or not.

He and his sister were very close, don't get him wrong; ever since they were kids, she'd been his closest friend and confidant. She was there for him through everything that came with growing up, often filling in when their parents couldn't. She was the first person he told when he discovered that he was bisexual, and she even helped him get both his first girlfriend and his first boyfriend. When she got married a few years before, she'd asked Grimmjow to be her best man instead of having a maid of honor; he planned to do the same thing if he ever got married. Her three-year-old daughter, Véronique, was his little angel. Yes, he loved his sister more than anything, but that didn't mean he didn't find her to be the biggest nag in the history of the universe.

He'd spent too much time contemplating, and before he knew it, Nel was bursting into his office.

"You little shit!"

"I'm bigger than you. . ."

"Shut up, I'm talking! What did you do? Harribel cancelled all her appointments and missed two shows! Do you know how much money I'm losing?"

"And by that you mean, 'Oh hey, Grimm. Sorry to hear about your break-up. How are you taking it? Is everything alright?' Correct?" Grimmjow asked, raising an eyebrow. Nel huffed and plopped down in one of the chairs in front of her younger brother's desk.

"Fine, I'm sorry. How are you taking it? And what happened anyway for that matter?" Grimmjow sighed before he told Nel everything that transpired between himself and Tier. She sat quietly and listened, just like she always did, and only when he was done did she speak again. "She didn't tell you why? No explanation, just the text message?"

"Nope."

"Weird. That just doesn't seem like something she'd do."

"Believe me, no one was more shocked than me, Nel."

"So what've you been doing since we last spoke? And why didn't you call me and tell me what happened so that I wouldn't come in here and make myself look stupid? And have you called Maman and Papa and told them? Have you even called them at all? You're the worst brother and son ever!"

_And, we're back to the nagging_.

"Nel, it's too early in the morning for this."

"It's one-fifteen, Grimmjow."

"Exactly. Too early." Grimmjow was laughing at Nel's reaction to his statement when his phone vibrated on his desk. He picked it up, looking at the screen.

_Ichigo Kurosaki: I got suspended from school._

**What? Why? And for how long?**

_I broke this annoying fucker's nose, and I got five days._

**Do you need me to send Szayel to pick you up?**

_Nah, I'm just gonna go to the park for a while. My dad's gonna read me my rights when I get home, and I'm not in the mood. I just wanted to let you know what was up, so you'd know why I'll be on lockdown for about a week._

**Alright. I'm at work right now, so I'll call you when I get off.**

_Okay._

"Excuse me, Grimmjow Marcel Jaegerjaquez, do you hear me talking to you?" Nel poised her delicate hands on her hips as she stared down at him.

"Huh?" he answered dumbly. She leaned further over the desk trying to look at his phone.

"Who are you texting?"

"What? Nobody, mind your business."

"Lemme see."

"No! Get out before I call security again." Nel's lower lip poked out and quivered as she slumped back down in the chair. Her big grey eyes filled with tears as she sniffled and wiped at them.

"You don't tell me anything anymore. I thought I was your best friend." Grimmjow frowned a little before he got up and walked around his desk. He was about to approach Nel to hug her when she bounced out of the chair and snatched his phone off of his desk. "Haha, I can't believe you still fall for that, you silly goose!" The blue-haired sibling groaned, reaching for his phone, but of course he had no chance of retrieving it.

"Give me my phone, Nel," he lamented. "We're too old for this shit!"

He was too late, and Nel was already scrolling through the messages. She frowned slightly, and tapped on the screen as Grimmjow sat back down behind his desk.

"Grimm. . .how old is this boy?"

"Seventeen," he mumbled. Nel's eyes widened before they narrowed dangerously.

"Really, Grimmjow? Really?" Then a mischievous smile broke out on her face, and Grimmjow groaned again. "We robbing cradles now, bro?"

"Don't start, Boobzilla."

"Too late, I already have!" Nel said as she erupted with laughter. Grimmjow reached out to page Momo.

"Momo, security please."

"Yes sir, Mr. Jaegerjaquez."

"Oh, c'mon, Grimm, you're like zero fun."

"Get out." Nel continued to laugh, clutching at her sides and periodically wiping tears from her eyes.

"Alright, Véronique and I will be at your house tomorrow. I wanna meet this kid, and you're not allowed to say no, because you know she's dying to see your sorry ass."

"Fine, whatever, just get out."

Just then, two security guards came through the door, but Nel just waved them off as she continued to chuckle every now and again.

"Seventeen. I swear I've seen it all now."

* * *

Ichigo sat down underneath a tall oak tree and rested his head against the trunk. He was in no rush to get home, though he knew his dad was just waiting to kick his ass. It wasn't fair; Ichigo got stuck suspended for a whole school week while Maki just got after school detention for three days. That was total bullshit in his opinion. He'd tried to explain to Principal Shiba that Maki had been bothering him for the better part of the year, but she didn't listen to him. She gave him the whole, "you threw the first punch" bit, and she even included the curse words he'd used in the report. What kind of baby-back bullshit was that? His dad probably wouldn't let him out of the house for the whole week he was suspended plus another week for being suspended in the first place.

His phone vibrated in his pocket-another thing he'd be without for two weeks-and he pulled it out checking the text message.

_Renji Abarai: Are you dead?_

**Not yet, but I will be. I got five days.**

_Damn, Isshin's gonna put a hole through your ass so big he'll be able to walk through it._

**Tell me something I don't know, dude.**

_What are you gonna do about Grimmjow?_

**Dunno. I'll talk to him about it later, I guess.**

Speak of the devil, his phone vibrated displaying Grimmjow's name on the screen. Ichigo tapped the answer icon and placed the phone next to his ear.

"Hey," he answered solemnly.

"I'm off work. Where are you?" Grimmjow asked.

"In the park five minutes from my house."

"That's not very helpful. I've never been to your place before."

"There's a pizza place not far from here. I'll walk there and then text you that address. Kinda don't need my dad seeing one of your nice ass cars coming through."

"Alright, see you there."

Ichigo stood up and headed in the direction of the nearby pizza parlor. So far it'd been a pretty shitty day; he hoped that getting to spend a little time with Grimmjow before he became a prisoner in his own home would make things better. He pulled his phone from his pocket once he got to the pizza parlor and texted Grimmjow the address. He was ordering himself a slice of pizza when he got a notification of another text from Renji; he opened the message, instantly frowning.

_Ichinose is spreading shit about you guys fucking._

**I swear to insert deity here, man, I'ma finish what I started today. He keeps fucking with me, and that broken nose will be the least of his worries.**

_Want me to tell him that?_

**Yeah. And I want him to step to me. I'ma wish on a star tonight that that motherfucker will. I wish, I wish, with all my heart; that with me some shit that fucker will start...**

_LMFAO! You're a dumb ass!_

"Wow, you look so much better when you smile, Ichi," a deep voice rumbled. He recognized the voice as Grimmjow's, and he looked up from his phone, still smiling.

"You're not so bad yourself, gorgeous," he replied, gesturing to the seat across from himself. "Care to join me?"

The blue-haired CEO sat down in the chair, letting out a tired sigh. Ichigo took a bite out of his pizza as he admired the older male's handsome form. He was dressed in a black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, charcoal grey slacks, and no tie. The top three buttons of the shirt were undone, revealing some sexy man cleavage. Ichigo continued his eye molestation as he ate. He never considered himself to be a religious person, but there must've been some god somewhere who was currently jacking off to Grimmjow's every move.

"Been a long fucking day, huh?" Grimmjow asked. Ichigo nodded since his mouth was full of food and he didn't want to be that person. "My sister came to my office today, raising hell about T and talking about how much money she's losing."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, but it was only because she didn't really know what was going on. She's a bit hot headed, and one helluva nag, but she's the best sister anyone could ask for," Grimmjow said. Ichigo nodded as the other male flagged down a waitress to order some pizza for himself. "So besides that, tell me what happened with the person at school? I take it he's been bothering you for a while?"

"How'd you guess?" Ichigo asked, a little shocked. Grimmjow just shrugged and relaxed a bit more in his seat.

"I don't know. You don't really seem like the type to just pick a fight with someone for no reason. To me, it seems like you only fight when provoked." Ichigo placed a hand over his heart and sighed.

"You know me so well," he said, only half-sarcastically. "But you're right. I try not to let things get to me usually, but that asshole has been pestering me since my freshman year. He got in my face today, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. I would've beat the living shit outta him if the principal hadn't come. Now my friend tells me that he's spreading shit about us having sex."

"Sounds to me like he's begging for an ass-kicking," Grimmjow said, and Ichigo nodded his agreement. The two were silent for a while after that, both simply enjoying each other's company. It was Ichigo who broke the silence.

"This is nice, yeah?"

"What?"

"Just being together like this. After the shitty day I've had, it's really nice being here with you and just being able to relax."

Grimmjow took a moment to think about what the younger male had said, and he definitely agreed. He'd never felt this comfortable around anyone but Nel; not around Tier, not even his own parents. There was something about the orange-haired teen that just made Grimmjow feel at peace. He had to admit, it was a really good feeling.

"Yeah, you're right. Oh, by the way, my sister wants to meet you." Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" Grimmjow shrugged.

"She's up in my business as always, and you happen to be that business. She's really not that bad, I promise. Also, my niece is the one kid to rule them all, you'll love her. They're coming to my estate tomorrow." Ichigo frowned and shook his head.

"I'll see what I can do, but I'm pretty sure my dad is going to murder me. You might not see me for a while."

"Understandable, and there's no pressure. If you can't make it tomorrow, we'll just postpone, yeah?"

They spent another hour or so together before Ichigo surmised that it was time for him to head to Alcatraz Island, formerly known as his house. Grimmjow agreed, and they left the pizza place, stopping next to his black Bentley Phantom.

"Seriously, man, how many cars do you have?" Grimmjow chuckled a bit before reaching for Ichigo's hand and pulling him in for a tight embrace.

"I had a good time with you, Ichigo," he said, softly, kissing the younger male's forehead. A bright blush broke out on the teen's face and he hid in the crook of the taller man's neck.

"Me too. I'd kiss you, but I think the hug is already too much for such a public place."

"That's alright," Grimmjow responded, releasing Ichigo from his grasp. His brilliant blue eyes locked with Ichigo's nut brown ones in a heated gaze. "Like I said before, there's no pressure. We've got all the time in the world, yeah?" The blue-haired man reached out, ruffling the bright orange head, and Ichigo blushed once more, averting his gaze and nodding slowly. "See you soon, Ichi."

Ichigo watched the other man get into his luxurious car, sighing once he'd driven out of sight. He shook his head and shoved his hands into his pockets as he started his walk to his house.

_Boy_ , he thought,  _am I the past tense of spring, or what?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lateness...kinda forgot to put these chapters up, so here's two new ones:)


	9. I Need to Breathe

**Chapter IX** **:** _**I Need to Breathe** _

Ichigo stepped inside his house, pulling his shoes off and tossing his messenger bag down next to them. He headed straight for the kitchen where he knew his dad was waiting for him. Of course he was right, and when he got to the kitchen, Isshin looked at him with complete disappointment, causing Ichigo to feel a tiny bit of remorse. Not enough to make him regret punching Maki in his stupid asshole face though. He knew the routine by now, so he turned his phone off and slid it across the table to his dad, sitting down across from him.

"I'm sorry, Dad," he said. Isshin shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Why'd you do it, Ichigo?" he asked. Ichigo put his hands in his lap and lowered his gaze to them.

"He's been harassing me since my freshman year. I finally told him to back off for good on Friday but he couldn't seem to take no for an answer, and he yelled and got in my face about it today. You know how much I hate that." Isshin ran a hand over his face and sighed.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" he asked. Ichigo shrugged, still not looking up from his lap.

"It seemed kinda trivial, you know? You have so much stuff to worry about, I figured I could take care of this on my own."

"And you see where that got you, right?" Isshin said. Ichigo didn't respond, figuring it'd be best to keep his mouth shut unless he was asked a direct question. "Ichigo, you are my son. If something is happening to you that's causing you problems, I need to know. I can't help you if I don't know what's going on."

"I understand," he mumbled. Isshin sighed and slid Ichigo's phone back to him.

"I'm gonna let you off the hook for this one, since the other boy was bothering you. But if you get suspended again, consider your young life over."

Ichigo nodded, picking up his phone and heading for his room. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. He was sure he'd get his shit rocked, but his dad seemed to be in a benevolent mood. Something was up; he'd find out what that was later. He stopped by his younger sister's room, knocking on the door lightly.

"Come in," Karin answered. Ichigo stepped through the door closing it behind him. Karin sat on her bed, writing something down in a notebook. She quickly closed it and put it away once she saw that Ichigo was in her room. "What is it, Ichi-nii?"

"What'cha doin'?" he asked, cheekily. He loved messing with Karin; she was just as easy to rile up as he was.

"Minding my business, you should try it," she snapped, and Ichigo laughed, throwing his hands up in defeat.

"Alright, off that. You good to go get your gear tomorrow? How much is everything?"

"Twenty for cleats, ten for shin guards, the uniform is thirty, sixty for insurance, and the registration fee is eighty."

"So two hundred bucks?" Karin nodded and Ichigo did the same. "Alright, I got you."

"Where exactly did you get a second job, Ichi-nii?" Karin asked, skeptically. Ichigo grinned before he turned to leave.

"Got a good job at minding my business. They're hiring full-time," he replied. Karin glared before she threw a pillow at his retreating form.

"You better not be selling drugs!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes as he headed down the hallway to his own room. Once inside, he stripped down to his boxers and laid down on his bed. He turned his phone back on, not surprised when it spazzed out with vibrations. Most of the messages were his friends, a couple of other people that he seldom associated with at school, and Grimmjow. The last message was the one that caused him to scowl heavily.

_Maki Ichinose: This isn't over. You made me look bad in front of a lot of people, and I'm gonna get you back for it. Don't get cocky just 'cause you got the first punch in. I'm gonna have the last laugh when it's all said and done._

**What the hell are you talking about, Ichinose? You know what, don't answer that. Lose my fucking number, bitch.**

With that message sent, Ichigo went to the settings in his phone, adding Maki's number to the blocked list. He hated when people made empty threats after they lost a fight. You already lost, so why're you talking shit? You're just making yourself look even dumber. A waste of time and effort, if you asked him. He opened the other messages from his friends before he decided to call Grimmjow.

"Hey," the older man answered.

"Hey," Ichigo said, feeling himself smile a little at the sound of the other man's voice.  _Sprung, so sprung_. "Uh, my dad let me off because I told him what was going on. I can come to your house tomorrow."

"Okay, cool. How's six?"

"That's good. I'm taking my sister to get her soccer equipment after she gets out of school, so I'll just come when I'm done with that."

"I can send Szayel to pick you up."

"Uh, no. The hell would that look like to my sister? She's already trying to figure out where I'm getting the money from. She thinks I'm selling drugs or something. She's too fucking smart."

"Alright. Well, just call him when you're done then."

"Okay."

"By the way, what's that kid's name that you got into it with? I don't think you told me."

"His name's Maki Ichinose."

"Ichinose, huh? That sounds familiar. Alright, I'll let you go now. I'm sure you're tired after this day, because I am."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow, Grimm."

"See you, Ichi."

* * *

After dropping Karin back off at their house, Ichigo decided to head over to the park for a while. As the day had passed, he'd become increasingly nervous about meeting Grimmjow's sister, and now that it was almost time, he was completely anxious. He found a tree to sit under, pulling out his phone to derp around a bit, to take his mind off of his nervousness. It didn't help though; what if Grimmjow's sister didn't like him? The older male had told him how close they were, so she obviously had some influence in his life whether he liked to admit that or not. Maybe he was over-thinking again. He did that a lot. He pulled his earbuds out of his pocket, deciding to listen to some Daft Punk; that always calmed him down. He leaned his head against the trunk of the tree, closing his eyes. He was nearly dozing when he felt someone touch him.

"The fuck?" he said instinctively, but immediately regretted it when he locked gazes with a pair of wide innocent grey eyes. The little onyx-haired girl looked at him inquisitively before she started to touch his hair.

"Ah, so pretty. Orange is my very favorite color. Your hair, it is so. . .so. . . _doux_ *." Ichigo raised an eyebrow at the last word. It seemed like French, but he wouldn't know since he didn't speak it. "Sorry, I like  _français_  better than _anglais_."

"It's okay. I don't speak French though. My name is Ichigo. What's your name?"

"Ichi - Itsy - Itsygo? It is nice to meet you, Itsygo. My name is Véronique Marcelle Tu Oderschwanck. I am three years old, but I will be four very soon. My middle name is Marcelle because it is. . . _deuxième prénom de mon oncle Grimm_ *." Ichigo frowned a bit. Grimmjow said Nel had a daughter. Was this her?

"What's your mommy's name, Véronique?"

"My mommy's name is Maman, of course silly!" she responded cheerily. Ichigo wanted to be frustrated, but she was just too damn cute. He stood and brushed the dirt off of his pants, looking around the area. He didn't see anyone, so he reached out a hand to her. The little girl smiled up at him warmly, and he couldn't help but to smile back. "You're  _mon nouveau meilleur ami_ *."

"Hey, you!" Ichigo's head snapped in the direction of the angry feminine voice. A beautiful woman with sea-foam green hair and a body to rival Tier's stormed towards him. She had a scowl on her face that matched the one he'd seen Grimmjow with before and the same expressive grey eyes as little Véronique. This couldn't be anyone but Nel; he didn't know anyone else with green hair. "Take your hands off my daughter, you little pervert!"

Ichigo frowned. In what universe would he be interested in a three-year-old girl?

"Ma'am, I'm not -"

Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a sharp pain in his cheek and he saw stars. No this bitch didn't. No she did not. She did not just. . .did this bitch just slap him? He clenched his jaw, looking everywhere but at her. He'd vowed never to hit a female, but his patience was already beyond thin. He slowly took a few steps back, throwing his hands up and shaking his head.

"Whatever, lady. I'm outta here," he said as calmly as he could. He was turning to leave when he suddenly became weighed down. He looked down and saw Véronique clinging desperately to him, wrapping herself around his leg much in the fashion of a baby koala.

"Oh, Itsygo, don't go,  _s'il vous plaît_ ,  _ **s'il vous plaît**_!" she wailed. Ichigo stopped walking but didn't turn back around. "Maman, don't hit Itsygo anymore,  _s'il vous plaît_!"

"Itsygo? What kind of name is that?" Nel asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Ichigo finally turned back around.

"My name is Ichigo. She mispronounced it, but I didn't bother to correct her."

"Ichi - Ichigo Kurosaki?" Nel said. Ichigo scowled but nodded nonetheless. The green haired woman started to pace back and forth. "Oh shit, shit, shit, shit!"

"Itsygo, what is this word that Maman is saying?" Véronique asked, innocently. Nel immediately stopped cursing, gesturing for her daughter to come to her. Once she did, Nel squatted down to her level.

"Vé, don't use that word, okay? Pinky promise?" she said. The little girl nodded, locking pinkies with her mother. Ichigo couldn't help but to smile a little; it was absolutely adorable. But he was still pissed that Nel had slapped him. Said woman stood back to her full height which was about the same as his. Her previously hard grey eyes softened measurably before she shocked the hell out of him by jumping into his arms, crushing him in a bear-hug. "Oh, I'm so very sorry for hitting you, Itsygo! I've been dying to meet you!"

"Please let go of me, Miss Nel," Ichigo choked out. Nel released him quickly muttering apologies. Ichigo shrugged it off, smiling a bit. "If I may ask, what are you doing here? Grimmjow told me you'd both be at his estate."

"We are, but Vé wanted to play for a while, so Grimmjow told me about this park. I wasn't expecting to find you here."

"Well, your little girl found me. She's adorable by the way. She's got your eyes," Ichigo said, gently. Nel smiled brightly.

"Thank you. You're very kind and so handsome! My brother has such excellent taste!"

"Maman, can we have pizza please?" Véronique asked, interrupting her mother's excited outburst.

"That depends," Nel replied. She looked at Ichigo. "Are you hungry, Itsygo?"

"I could stand to eat, and there's a pizza place not far from here. I can show you where it is, if you'd like, Miss Nel."

"Please call me Nel, and I'd like that very much," she responded.

"Okay, Nel. Let's go," Ichigo said. Véronique grabbed his hand and started skipping in the direction of a shiny black Mercedes S500.  _Rich people and their fancy ass cars_. He couldn't deny that Grimmjow and Nel were very down-to-Earth for wealthy individuals, and he found that admirable. He smiled down at Véronique as she started to chant as she skipped,

"Itsygo and pizza, pizza and Itsygo. . ."

Maybe he'd fit into Grimmjow's world after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> doux: soft
> 
> deuxième prénom de mon oncle Grimm: my uncle Grimm's middle name
> 
> mon nouveau meilleur ami: my new best friend
> 
> s'il vous plaît: please


	10. I Need to Know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy GrimmIchi Day everyone ^_^

**Chapter X** **:** _**I Need to Know** _

Grimmjow sighed as he pulled his tie loose and tossed it randomly. He usually wasn't so blasé about his clothing, but after the day he'd had, fuck clothes. His jacket and shoes were the next to go, followed closely by his slacks. He searched around his closet for a pair of sweats and pulled them on. Nothing could compare to the feeling of a 'fuck it' outfit. He knew Ichigo would be over soon, but he had a feeling the younger male wouldn't care in the slightest what he wore. It was one of the things that Grimmjow liked about him.

In his near thirty years of life, Grimmjow hadn't ever met someone quite like Ichigo. The kid was gentle, but strong; kind-hearted, but far from a pushover; he didn't blame others for his problems, he protected those dear to him, and he was beyond modest. It was extremely hard to find people like Ichigo in the world that Grimmjow lived in. With all the glitz and glamour, people seemed to catch amnesia, forgetting that the heliocentric model of the solar system states that the planets and various other space objects revolve around the Sun and not them.

He left his closet for the bathroom, running a comb through his messy blue locks. Even though he was certain Ichigo wouldn't care about his less-than-professional appearance, it didn't mean he wanted to look like a total slob. Once he was done combing his hair, he left his bedroom, heading down the stairs to his den. It was time for some video game therapy. He switched on his Xbox One, preparing for a session of blood, intense violence, and strong language. Ah, yes, nothing like Call of Duty, Black Ops in particular. He settled himself down in front of his fifty-six inch flat screen, picking up his controller. Soon, he was completely lost in the game, forgetting all about the shitty ass day he'd had. That's how Ichigo, Nel, and Véronique found him.

"Fuck, you fucking faggot ass bitches! Get yer asses in gear or we're fucked!" he yelled at the screen. Nel reached down, covering Véronique's ears.

"Grimmjow!" The blue haired man jumped at his sister's hiss of his name.

"Oh shit - I mean shoot," he fumbled, pausing the game and glaring at Ichigo who seemed to find the whole thing hilarious. "Didn't know you guys would be back so soon."

"Well at least you weren't fapping," Ichigo said, cheekily. Nel smacked his arm.

"I swear, I'll never be able to keep Vé pure and chaste around you two idiots."

"Maman, what is fapping?" Véronique asked, and Ichigo laughed even harder with Grimmjow joining in. Nel rolled her eyes, grabbing the little girl's hand and leading her out of the room.

"It's something that boys do that makes them go blind," she responded, garnering even more laughter from the two males. Grimmjow sat back down in front of the television with Ichigo sitting down next to him.

"I needed that laugh after the day I've had. Thanks for that, Ichi," the older man said, ruffling Ichigo's bright orange locks. Said orange-haired male blushed averting his gaze.

"Uh, no problem. Want to talk about it?"

"Not really. Cool if we just chill?" Grimmjow asked. Ichigo nodded, deciding to back seat while Grimmjow continued to play the game.

He watched the other man silently, observing his expressions and reactions. Grimmjow was handsome, ethereally so. He was damn near perfect, and each time Ichigo was with him, he could feel himself becoming more and more attached to the CEO. He knew he was getting in way over his head, but he couldn't help himself. Grimmjow was everything he wanted in a significant other and more. At least compared to the few other crushes he'd had. There weren't very many when he thought about it. He'd had a crush on a guy named Shuuhei Hisagi until he moved to Texas; then he'd thought he had a crush on Renji before he realized how stupid that was. Other than that, he hadn't been interested in anyone else before he met Grimmjow. Not that people hadn't been interested in him. There was a girl, Riruka Dokugamine, who was nearly obsessed with him, and Orihime too. No one interested him though; no one but Grimmjow. It didn't even matter in the slightest that the man was so much older than him.

Suddenly he had the strangest urge to touch Grimmjow. He reached out, slowly, touching the soft blue hair on the man's head. Grimmjow looked at Ichigo out of the corner of his eye but didn't move to stop him. Either he was too enraptured in his game to care, or he wanted Ichigo to touch him. Ichigo became bolder with his caresses, moving his hand through Grimmjow's hair to the back of the other man's neck. Grimmjow paused the game, then, turning to face Ichigo. The younger male immediately moved his hand away, but Grimmjow just stared at him.

"What're you doing?" he asked. Ichigo shrugged, bringing his hands to his lap.

"I don't know, I just wanted to touch you," he admitted quietly. Grimmjow smiled, before he brushed his hand across Ichigo's cheek, causing him to blush.

"C'mere." Ichigo lifted his head, only to be met with Grimmjow's lips against his own. His eyes widened before they lowered to half-mast as the kiss deepened. He wrapped his arms around the other man's neck, as Grimmjow's tongue invaded his mouth. Suddenly he found himself on his back with the blue haired man on top of him. He pushed his hands under Grimmjow's shirt, running them along the strong muscles of his back. The older male responded by grinding his hips against Ichigo's creating the slightest bit of a delicious friction that sent a shiver down both of their spines. Ichigo's head was swimming, probably from the lack of oxygen. He reluctantly pushed Grimmjow away, taking in a few breaths before reconnecting their lips. They stopped when they heard a loud gasp, jumping to opposite ends of the couch.

"I swear I leave you two alone for five minutes and I come back and you're making out like horny teenagers," Nel said as she tossed a few snacks onto the coffee table. She sat down in the armchair adjacent to the couch. "Well, one of you is a horny teenager, but I digress." Grimmjow glared at her, angry that she'd interrupted what had to be the most awesome kiss he'd ever experienced.

"Shut up, Nel," he growled. "And where's Vé? You know she'll get lost in here."

"She's fine. I put her down for a nap in your room. Anyway, Ichigo told me how you met." Grimmjow looked exasperated when he turned to the teen. Ichigo shrugged a bit.

"She wouldn't stop pestering me. She really is as much of a nag as you said."

"You told him I was a nag?"

"Well you are!"

"I am not, you buttwrench!"

"Are too, and I bet you just can't wait to tell Mom and Dad about this can you?" Grimmjow yelled, and Nel frowned deeply. Ichigo noted how much she and Grimmjow looked alike when they frowned. He was honestly finding their whole argument to be hilarious. They were well past their teenage years, yet they were still arguing like kids.

"I wasn't going to tell them anything; it's none of my business. You know I wouldn't do that," Nel said quietly. Grimmjow ran a hand over his face.

"Sorry, but you do have the tendency to blab shit when you're not supposed to. That's how Dad found out that I'm bisexual, remember?" Nel dismissed his statement with a wave of her hand.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, Ichigo, don't listen to this buttface. You can tell me anything, okay? Consider me your big sister too," she said, cheerily. Ichigo smiled and nodded.

"Don't tell her anything," Grimmjow whispered, but Nel heard him anyway and she punched him in the arm with far too much force in his opinion. He rubbed at the spot scowling at her. "Bitch."

"Dick," she retorted, sticking her tongue out at him. By this time, Ichigo was full out howling with laughter, clutching his sides and all.

"You guys are worse than me and my sister," he said between laughs. "It's seriously okay, Grimmjow. Though I would prefer not to have to face your parents until we're actually official, I don't mind if they know about me. You can just tell them you're mentoring me or something."

Grimmjow pondered Ichigo's idea for a second before he shook his head.

"You don't know my parents, Ichi. Let's just keep it between us three for now, alright? That means you, Nelliel," he said, sternly. Nel dismissed him nonchalantly once more.

"Fine, fine, now lemme play," she said, hopping onto the couch between Grimmjow and Ichigo. Both males sighed as Nel started the game back up.

So much for finishing what  _they'd_  started.

* * *

_Two Months Later_

"I don't mean to bash your idea or anything, Nnoi, but it sounds. . .really terrible," he said, with a sigh. He handed the file folder back to his CFO, and shook his head as they continued their walk back to Grimmjow's office. "Like, why did you even think for a second that it would be okay for us to invest in a bankrupt company? It's bankrupt for a reason, man."

"Yeah, yeah, but they're trying to start over."

"Well, you can do it if you want to, but I'm not for losing that kind of money, sorry."

"Since when did you become so concerned with money?" Nnoitra asked, and Grimmjow frowned.

"Don't make it sound like that, dude. There's a difference between investing and being a dumbass. Have a little fucking common sense, yeah?"

Nnoitra didn't respond as they'd reached Momo's desk. The mousy woman looked even more anxious than usual, and Grimmjow tried to lessen his scowl a bit for her sake. She'd been working for him for three years, and she was still scared shitless of him. She looked at her two superiors, immediately avoiding Grimmjow's gaze. It was a little more than normal, so Grimmjow stopped in front of her desk.

"Momo, is something the matter?" he asked. She stood from her chair, bowing slightly.

"I'm so very sorry, sir, but I couldn't stop her," she said in a rushed tone. "Please don't fire me, sir."

"You shouldn't take my angry threats to heart, Momo," Grimmjow said, with a laugh. "And you couldn't stop whom? Is Nel in there again?" He made his way to his door and reached for the handle before he paused in his actions when Momo spoke once more.

"No sir. Again, I am so very sorry." Grimmjow raised an eyebrow before he opened the door to his office.

The scent of vanilla and coffee filled his nostrils and he immediately felt like cursing. She sat at the glass table next to his floor-to-ceiling window, holding one of his many books on logistics and sipping from a steaming mug. She wore a short black form fitting dress, covered with a white button-up shirt that did nothing to help cover her bountiful cleavage. Her mile long legs were crossed as she stared stoically at the book, her green eyes flickering over the pages. One of her stiletto clad feet bounced up and down, a tick she'd always had when she was nervous about something. She looked up from the book only when he shut the door and leaned against it. Grimmjow almost sighed. She was too beautiful.

For a moment, they just stared at one another, the tension between them thick enough to be cut with a butter knife. It was Grimmjow who broke the silence.

"What the hell are you doing here, Tier?"

"Oh, come now, Grimmjow. Don't act like you're not happy to see me," she said, softly. Grimmjow rolled his eyes.

"I haven't heard from you for the past two months. I gotta say, it's been lovely," he said, crassly.

"Hmm, indeed," she responded, equally heated. Grimmjow crossed to his desk and sat down. He steepled his fingers as they continued their intense staring contest.

He really didn't need this shit right now. Things were going so well between Ichigo and him; he hadn't had a single thought about Tier or anyone else for that matter. Every waking moment that he wasn't working, he spent with the orange-haired teen, and he loved it. He was so close to making things official between them, but he wanted to wait. Ichigo's eighteenth birthday was in another month, and he figured it'd be the perfect gift. But of course, here comes Hurricane Harribel to ruin shit. Figures.

"Alright, what the hell's your reason for coming here?" he asked, and Tier stood, standing in front of the window, staring out at the busy city below. Grimmjow was becoming impatient with all her dramatic pauses and silent stares. "Spit it the fuck out already, T." Tier turned back to face him then, her gaze steady and somehow sad.

"I'm pregnant."


	11. I Need You to Stay

**Chapter XI** **:** _**I Need You to Stay** _

Ichigo sat in his room, typing a paper on chlamydia for his health class. After doing that research, he was even more glad that he was a virgin. Nature was nasty as fuck. He lucked out and got one of the less gross ones, but poor Renji was stuck with researching syphilis. Ichigo's skin started to crawl just thinking about it. Of all the STIs though, the worst had to be that nine month virus. You know, the one that leads to an infant. You can get a shot for the clap, but a baby is forever. He shuddered at the thought.

Not that he didn't want kids per se, but he knew he didn't have anything to worry about in that area at least. It wasn't one of those weird stories that Orihime read where dudes had mystical wombs and shit, so he was cool. He wouldn't mind adopting at some point though, if Grimmjow didn't mind. Oh damn, how far ahead of himself was he getting, huh? He and Grimmjow weren't even an official couple and he was already planning to adopt a kid.  _Calm thyself,_ he thought.

He was saving his document and preparing to email it to his teacher when his phone vibrated against his desk. He picked it up, smiling when he saw that it was a message from Grimmjow.

_Dinner tonight?_

**Yeah, sure. What time should I be ready?**

_I'll send Szayel for you at six. Dress formal._

**Okay.**

He looked at the clock on his laptop, seeing that he had about an hour before he'd have to leave. He opened his closet pulling out a pair of black slacks and a charcoal grey dress shirt. He left his room and went down the stairs, crossing through the living room and going through to the clinic where he knew he'd find his dad. Once inside, he smiled slightly as Isshin made stupid faces to comfort a little girl who was getting a shot of some sort. He stood quietly against the door as the girl's mother thanked Isshin and picked the little girl up off of the gurney.

"Bye bye, Dr. Goatface!" the little girl called as her mother carried her out of the exit. Ichigo laughed at that.

"See, it's not just us," he commented and Isshin chuckled as well.

"I suppose not. Did you need something, son?" he asked.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm going out with some friends later on." Isshin raised an eyebrow.

"Since when do you have such a bustling social life?" Ichigo shrugged, scratching the back of his head.

"It's near the end of the year, so I guess we're just loosening up a bit," he mumbled. Isshin didn't look like he was buying the shit Ichigo was trying to sell. For a moment, Ichigo was nervous; then all his fears were quelled when a goofy grin broke out on his father's face. He rolled his eyes.

"My darling son has found a lovely young lady to quench his adolescent thirsts!" Ichigo's eyes widened, a faint blush spreading over the bridge of his nose.

"I don't have a girlfriend, Dad."

"Oh is it that lovely girl Rukia with the big eyes?"

"Dad -"

"Or is it that darling girl Orihime with the big -"

"If you finish that statement, I will move out right now." Isshin just chuckled at his son's flustered state. "I'm leaving around six and I should be home before eleven. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure, sure, son."

"Alright, I'll see you later, Dad."

Ichigo left the room, just as another woman walked in with her two young sons. He smiled to himself, happy that he was helping his dad keep the clinic running, secretly, of course. Grimmjow had recommended Isshin to some of his own clients, and Ichigo had been making donations under a false name. At first, Isshin had been suspicious, but Ichigo gave him a speech on gratefulness and dedication to one's craft to rival any motivational speaker. He was quite happy with himself.

He went back upstairs and into the bathroom, stripping down for a shower. Once he was done, he ran a towel over his body and through his wet hair. He went back to his room, getting dressed slowly. He had to admit that even with all the numerous dates he'd been on with Grimmjow, he still got nervous before every one. He surmised that that was one of the symptoms of the newest STI: feelings.

He hadn't been sure about it when they first started seeing each other, but he knew now. He wanted nothing more than to be with Grimmjow and only him. He preferred to wait until he was eighteen to tell him that, but he figured it'd be okay if he told him then. That, and he could barely contain himself. He wanted to shout it from rooftops or be like that douchey ass fucker in that boring movie that Yuzu liked to force him to watch and stand at the front of a fucking boat, screaming it for whomever wanted to listen. He thought better of that though, and decided that simply telling the man how he felt would suffice.

He put on a pair of loose fitting jeans and a white t-shirt. Of course he wouldn't leave the house dressed formally, that'd be stupid. He put his dress clothes into a gym bag and pulled his white Vans onto his feet. He pulled his phone out, checking the time. It was a little after six, but he was sure Szayel was already waiting, so he headed for the door.

"Where are you going, Ichi-nii?" Karin asked from her place on the couch.

"Out with some friends. I'll see you later."

"I saw you with a woman that had green hair and a little girl." Ichigo frowned a bit before he turned to her. "I wasn't spying on you or anything, but Toushirou and I were walking to the park, and I saw you go into the pizza parlor with them. Who are they?"

"It's my second job. I babysit the little girl," he responded, easily. Karin frowned, obviously not believing him in the slightest. Ichigo shrugged and turned back to the door. "Look, I have to go. I'll see you later."

He left before she could say anything else, jogging down the street to where he knew Szayel would be waiting. Once he got to the designated spot, he nodded at the pink-haired male before jumping into the backseat of the Navigator. The ride to Grimmjow's penthouse was silent, which Ichigo found a bit odd. Szayel usually made a bit of small talk with him, but today, the bespectacled man was completely quiet. He decided not to think about it too much. He had a lot on his mind already, what with his decision to ask Grimmjow if they could make things official. The Navigator came to a stop in front of the building and Ichigo got out, saying goodbye to Szayel absently. He took a deep breath before he decided that he was worrying for nothing. The worst that Grimmjow could tell him was no, right?

* * *

Grimmjow sat on his couch staring blankly at his television. To say that he was shocked at Tier's sudden revelation would be a complete understatement. He was absolutely fucking terrified. He was a grown ass man, yes, but that didn't mean that he'd be ready to be a dad. He would admit that no matter how scared he was, though, he was equally excited. The thought of having a little him running around causing scenes made him smile. If only his/her mother wasn't a complete and total bitch.

After Tier told him she was pregnant, she proceeded to rave about how it was such an inconvenience for her and how she needed to get rid of it. Grimmjow was beyond pissed about that. He understood her desire to keep her career going, but it was his baby too. Didn't he deserve to have a say in the matter? He'd managed to get her to calm down and be rational, and she'd said she'd think about it and let him know in a few days.

The other issue that plagued Grimmjow's mind was Ichigo. How was he supposed to tell him this? What would he say? Would he still be interested in having a relationship with Grimmjow? Ichigo was so young; he had his whole life ahead of him. He wouldn't want to be saddled down with an old man and a baby, would he? He had far too many questions and far too few answers. He decided it'd be best to just tell the younger male. The worst Ichigo could say was no, right?

Just then, the doorbell rang and Grimmjow knew it could only be Ichigo. He stood from his place on the couch and walked over to the door. He took a deep breathe before he opened it, feeling his insides shudder. Big brown doe eyes captured his own oceanic ones and Grimmjow suddenly had the overwhelming urge to kiss the orange-haired teen. He wasn't alone in his thoughts apparently and before he knew it, Ichigo was yanking him down by his shirt and connecting their lips. The kiss started out slow and innocent, but it escalated rather quickly with Ichigo getting handsy and sliding his tongue into the older man's mouth. Grimmjow was starting to forget whatever it was that he was supposed to be telling Ichigo. What was it again?

Oh yeah. Tier. Pregnant. Baby. Shit.

He reluctantly pushed Ichigo away, much to the teen's displeasure. The scowl/pout was adorable, and Grimmjow smiled a little before he gestured for Ichigo to go inside. The teen walked inside the penthouse, scowl still in place as he sat down in the living room. Grimmjow shook his head as he closed the door before joining Ichigo on the couch. They sat awkwardly for a bit, Ichigo palpably irritated and Grimmjow obviously nervous. The older of the two decided to stop stalling, and he turned to Ichigo, looking straight into his eyes.

"Ichigo, I have something to tell you," he said, as calmly as he could muster in his rather anxious state. The boy's face lit up, then, with a devastating smile.

"Me too, but you first."

Grimmjow almost didn't want to tell Ichigo anymore, but he remembered his promise to keep things completely open between them. How could he expect Ichigo to trust him if he told lies and kept secrets? With that thought in mind, he steeled his nerves and spoke,

"Tier is pregnant."

Grimmjow watched as the smile slowly faded from Ichigo's face. It was heart-breaking, and Grimmjow immediately regretted telling him but he knew it was the right thing to do. Ichigo turned away from him slightly, his face portraying his utter shock and disbelief. Though he didn't say anything, Grimmjow could very nearly read his thoughts and he felt his nerves stabbing at him once more. Ichigo stood from the couch and began to pace back and forth in front of Grimmjow. He tugged at his bangs a little, and kept rubbing his hands down the front of his pants. Grimmjow hated to see him so distressed, especially since it was his fault. Ichigo continued to pace as he asked,

"How long have you known this?"

"I just found out yesterday," Grimmjow responded. Ichigo stopped pacing, then, giving Grimmjow another look of pure disbelief.

"How far along is she?"

"Four months."

"What? And she waited until now to fucking tell you?"

Grimmjow definitely agreed with Ichigo on that. He'd suspected her of lying about it, but he couldn't deny it when he saw the subtle roundness of her usual level abdomen with his own two eyes. Plus there was the fact that she'd come expressly to tell him that she was going to kill his baby. She was a bitch like that.

"Yeah. It's why she broke it off in the first place. She wants to get rid of it." Ichigo's eyes widened as he sat back down next to Grimmjow.

"Wha - what? Can she do that? I mean, don't you have a little bit of say in the matter?" It was Grimmjow's turn to be shocked. Ichigo continued to impress him with his level of maturity. The conversation was going in a direction that the older of the two hadn't even considered. "I mean, I know it's her body and she has the right to make that decision, but Grimm. . .it's your baby too, right? Don't you want it?"

"Of course I do, Ichi, but in the end it's gonna be Tier's decision. I don't want to be selfish, but. . ." Grimmjow rested his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. "I don't want her to take my baby away from me."

Ichigo barely heard him, but he felt the despair in the other man's voice. It really wasn't fair. Everyone always talked about the woman, but no one really cared how the man felt. Yes, he understood that pregnancy was dangerous, but he believed that if you had a man who was willing to take care of his responsibilities no matter the circumstances, or the relationship with the mother, then you didn't just let that go. If you were more than capable of caring for the child, like Grimmjow was, then there was no real reason to go through with abortion, unless medical issues were involved. He sighed, running his hand through Grimmjow's hair.

"Don't worry, Grimm. We'll get through this," he said, softly. Grimmjow sat up then, looking at Ichigo questioningly. The teen frowned. "What's that look for?"

"You. . .you'll stay with me?"

"Of course, you idiot," Ichigo replied, punching Grimmjow's arm playfully. "Thought you could get rid of me that easily?"

Grimmjow couldn't help but to grin like an idiot as he pulled Ichigo towards him in a tight embrace. Ichigo hugged him back just as tightly before pulling back and kissing Grimmjow's lips gently. The blue-haired man watched a faint blush spread over Ichigo's cheeks and he smiled again. He knew he was beyond lucky to have Ichigo in his life, and he didn't plan to let him go any time soon.

"What did you want to tell me, Ichi?" he asked, suddenly remembering that the teen had said he needed to tell him something. Ichigo just shrugged waving it off.

"Doesn't matter now," he said, smiling once more. "Kinda self-explanatory anyways."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow...I got so emotional while I was writing this for three reasons...reason number one: listening to a playlist that only contained the songs Stay With Me by Sam Smith and You Were Meant for Me by Jewel...terrible idea in hindsight, but ya know, hindsight is 20/20..I have no regrets; reason number two: this is the very first story that I've made it past five chapters ever and I can't even...OMG I hate to say this, but I am so proud of myself, and it brings me to reason number three: I don't think I would've had any motivation to go farther with this if it wasn't for all the love I got from you all *tears* I am so glad that this silly little story makes you guys happy, and in turn, I am very happy...so thank you from the bottom of my bottom...know that some random fanfiction author whom you've never met loves you deeply ~(^_^~)
> 
> Until next time,
> 
> Patd06


	12. I Need Your Advice

**Chapter XII** **: _I Need Your Advice_**

Grimmjow heaved a sigh as he opened the door to his penthouse. Tier brushed past him, settling down on the couch in the living room. Grimmjow chose to sit in the armchair. The tension between them was once again palpable and he hated it. They weren't always this way with each other, but now he guessed this was how it was going to be. Tier laid a hand on her rounded belly before she spoke,

"I've made my decision."

"And?" Grimmjow asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I will not go through with the abortion." Grimmjow nearly smiled before he narrowed his gaze in suspicion.

"What's the catch?" Tier scoffed.

"There is no catch, Grimmjow. I will have this baby and you may take it. I want nothing to do with it or you."

Grimmjow frowned. Her wording was a little harsh, but he was used to that by now. He was ecstatic that she'd decided to keep the baby. He had a million plans running through his mind, the first of which was telling Ichigo the good news. He smiled at Tier, who managed to form some sort of an expression. Just then the doorbell rang, and Grimmjow got up to answer. Ichigo smiled before he kissed Grimmjow's cheek.

"She's here?" he asked in a whisper. Grimmjow nodded his response as Ichigo walked inside. "Should I come back later?"

"No, no. Just go into the kitchen for now," Grimmjow responded. Ichigo nodded, though he didn't much approve of having to hide from Grimmjow's baby's mother. He kept silent, though, and headed for the kitchen as Grimmjow rejoined Tier in the living room.

"Who was that?" she asked.

"A friend. Now, when will you be available to arrange a meeting with the lawyers?" Tier looked confused.

"Lawyers?" Grimmjow frowned.

"Of course lawyers. You said you didn't want anything to do with me or the baby, so obviously you need to sign over your parental rights."

"Oh," was her only response. For a split second she looked troubled, before she stood, albeit with some minor difficulty. Grimmjow stood to help her but she just waved him off. "I will have my assistant call you when time is made available." With that, she headed for the door, stopping by the kitchen to look at Ichigo. He paused in his actions, a cup of orange juice halfway to his lips. Her calculating emerald stare cut through him, causing him to nearly tremble.

"Uhh, hi?" he said, dumbly. She continued to gaze at him stoically, and his eyes gained a mind of their own, drifting to the bump in her abdomen.

"Haven't you sold all your cookies already, Girl Scout?" she asked, icily. Ichigo frowned. "Who are you exactly? To Grimmjow I mean?"

Ichigo's frown deepened. He was irritated that she was questioning him, yes, but he was more irritated that he didn't know how to answer. What was he to Grimmjow? A concubine? An escort? A Call of Duty buddy? What? It wasn't like he could just outright say he was Grimmjow's boyfriend, no matter how badly he wanted to; it wasn't true. He decided to just settle for the crass route and answered shortly,

"That's none of your business." A ghost of a smirk danced on her full lips and she shrugged.

"I suppose you are right," she said, touching her belly. "I also suppose I could make it my business, yes?"

Ichigo continued to frown as she left the kitchen. What the hell did she mean by that? He took a sip of his drink, suddenly having a horrible taste in his mouth. Grimmjow walked into the kitchen a few moments later, smiling. His smile faded once he took in the murderous aura surrounding the orange-haired teen.

"Uhh, what's wrong, Ichi?" he asked. Ichigo's frown lessened a bit before he shook his head.

"Nothing, Grimm," he replied. He managed a smile as Grimmjow kissed his cheek. "So, what'd she say?"

"She's going to keep it," Grimmjow responded. Ichigo could tell that he was barely containing his excitement. It was nice to see Grimmjow so happy.

"That's great! Now how about that lunch? I'm starving."

He decided to keep Tier's - whatever that was - to himself for now. No need to worry over things that had no relevancy. Plus, Grimmjow seemed to be in a great mood, and he didn't want to ruin that. He figured she was just trying to make him nervous. What could she do anyways?

* * *

After lunch, Grimmjow dropped Ichigo off at Renji's house. Ichigo was supposed to be tutoring his tattooed friend in history. After sharing a kiss - or seven - Ichigo got out of Grimmjow's Phantom and started the two block walk to Renji's. Once he was there, he rang the doorbell and a few moments later, Renji answered. He did not look happy.

"What's up, dude?"

"Inside," Renji said, yanking Ichigo by the front of his shirt. He pushed the orange-head until they were in his room, and he closed and locked the door behind them. Ichigo was confused to say the very least.

"What the hell, man?" he asked as Renji sat down on his bed. The redhead stared at him seriously, making him a little nervous. Ichigo sat down on the floor. "C'mon man, what is it?"

"I have something very important to tell you."

"Okay, then tell me."

"Byakuya is a friend of Grimmjow's. And he told me. . .that Grimmjow's ex-girlfriend is pregnant." Ichigo resisted the urge to laugh. It was nice to see that his friend was so concerned for him. He just shook his head.

"It's alright, Ren; I already know," he said, and Renji frowned.

"So what is he gonna do about it? What's he gonna do about you? Does she know about you?"

"She knows about me, but she doesn't know the extent of my relationship with Grimmjow. Grimmjow is going to take care of his baby, and I'm going to be there for him as long as he wants me."

Renji just sat staring at his orange-haired best friend incredulously. He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head.

"You caught feelings, didn't you?" A blush spread slowly across Ichigo's high cheekbones, and Renji sighed. "Damn. This is a first for you; I should write a book,  _Ichi Feels a Feel_." Ichigo laughed at that.

"Well, maybe you should. I've never felt this way about anyone, you know? I mean, I don't know, there's just. . .something about him."

"He's got a big dick?" Renji asked out of curiosity. Ichigo's eyes widened and his blush intensified.

"I wouldn't know, I haven't seen it."

"Seriously? How long have you guys been talking?"

"That doesn't matter, Ren. Relationships don't always have to revolve around sex."

"Yeah, because you've been in sooo many relationships, Ich."

"Eat my ass, dickwad."

"Not without ketchup."

The boys shared a laugh. After a while, Renji sobered, giving Ichigo one of his knowing gazes that made the younger of the two a little nervous. Renji could be a real idiot, but he could also be extremely wise. Ichigo frowned a bit as Renji continued to stare at him.

"What?" he asked, irritated by his friend's sudden silence.

"Are you sure you're ready for something like this, Ichi?" Renji asked, solemnly. Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "I mean, we're just kids ourselves. What are you gonna do when the baby comes?"

"Well, I helped my mom and dad take care of Karin and Yuzu when they were babies. And it isn't like Grimmjow will know what to do either. We'll work together; I want to be with him, Ren, and this baby is a part of him. I'll do whatever it takes to keep us together."

Renji seemed surprised by Ichigo's answer, but the orangehead couldn't imagine why. Maybe it was because Renji hadn't ever heard him speak about another person that way.

"Well that seems like a plausible answer; what I find implausible is the fact that you've been talking to this guy for what, three months? And you haven't talked about sex once, even though that's what he's supposed to be paying you for."

"Well, we. . ." Ichigo debated internally on whether he wanted to tell Renji about the first time he and Grimmjow ever spoke on the phone. He felt his face heating up as he continued. ". . .we kind of had phone sex the first time we spoke to each other."

"Ewwwwwww! Seriously? Oh man, that's gross, bruh!" Renji exclaimed as he started to laugh. Ichigo sat up to punch him in his shin. "Ouch, dude! But you guys really haven't done anything past that?"

"No. Are you telling me that you and Byakuya had sex before you turned eighteen?" Ichigo asked. Renji waved him off.

"Peanut gallery, man. I'm actually impressed. Grimmjow isn't exactly hard to look at, if you know what I mean," he said, winking at Ichigo. The orange head rolled his eyes. Sometimes he wondered why he was still friends with Renji. Then he remembered that the guy had the potential to be awesome at times; it also helped that he could give really good advice when he wasn't being a total butthead.

"Hey, uh. . .do you think it's a bad idea? Me staying with Grimm?" Ichigo asked nervously. Renji pondered the question for a bit before he answered.

"No. We've been friends for how long, Ichi? Since like fetuses? Is that the right word? Or is it feti? Nah, that doesn't sound right. . ."

"You're drifting Ren. It's fetuses; fetus is a Greek word, not Latin. I can see why you asked me to tutor you," Ichigo commented with a laugh. Renji rolled his eyes.

"Regardless, we've been friends for five-ever, and I've never seen you act this way about anyone, not even Shuu when he was here. So if this is what you want, then I say go for it," he said. He reached out his fist and Ichigo bumped it with his own. "Now, are we studying, or nah? If I fail this class, I'm a goner."

"Alright, let's get to it then."


	13. I Need a Lawyer

**Chapter XIII** **: _I Need a Lawyer_**

"But the sign said it was one-forty nine."

"Well, it rang up one-ninety nine, so. . ."

"Um, could you get your manager?"

"No, but you can get these hands," Ichigo grumbled as he stepped off of his platform to get Kisuke. He was so irritated with this job; honestly, now that Grimmjow was helping him, he really didn't need it. He only stayed to help Kisuke out, and he only worked one day a week. He also figured it'd be best to keep it so that he'd be better able to explain his lack of financial issues.

He stepped into Kisuke's office, rolling his eyes. The man sat at his desk, playing Pokémon on his handheld gaming device.

"Kisuke, a customer wants to see you," Ichigo said, flatly. Kisuke continued to play, seemingly ignorant to what Ichigo had said. "Kisuke!"

The man jumped, placing a hand over his heart.

"Is something the matter, Mr. Kurosaki?" he asked. Ichigo rolled his eyes once more.

"Like I just said, there's a customer that wants to see you." Kisuke blinked but didn't move otherwise.

"For?"

"I don't know, she's bitching about something. You wanna get out there? Because if I say what I want to say, she'll probably never come back."

At that Kisuke stood, mumbling something about Charizard and poor people skills. Ichigo followed him out, stepping back on his platform and crossing his arms over his chest. He looked at the line that had formed at his register and almost sighed. Then he frowned when he spotted a head of black hair at the end of it.

_Fuck is that dumbass doing here?_  he thought to himself. Maki was with two of his equally-irrelevant-to-Ichigo friends. He looked at the orange-haired male before looking back at one of his friends and laughing. Ichigo just shook his head. And to think he almost considered dating this guy a year ago.

Soon he'd finished checking out most of the customers and Maki was standing in front of him with a stupid smug look on his face. Ichigo smirked.

"Heard you're still talking shit, Ichinose," he said smoothly as he slid the items across the scanner and tossed them into bags. Maki tsked.

"No need to dwell on the past when the future's so promising, Kurosaki." Ichigo raised an eyebrow at that.

"Fuck are you smoking?"

"How does your manager feel about you using such foul language in front of the customers?"

"How do you feel about having my foot in your ass?"

"Ooh, so crass. I suggest you start being a little nicer to me, Ichi."

Ichigo grabbed Maki's receipt and flicked it in the other male's general direction.

"Have a nice fucking day," he said loud enough so that he knew Kisuke heard him. Maki still looked smug as he left with his friends, and it pissed Ichigo off even more. How irritating.

It wasn't enough that Maki continued to spread ignoble rumors at school, no, he had to come bother Ichigo at work too. Quite frankly the orange head had had enough. He wasn't entirely sure who to talk to about this kind of thing, so he figured he'd tell his dad. Isshin had given him that whole speech about telling him when Ichigo had a problem, so he thought this would be a perfect opportunity.

"Kisuke, I'm going to break," he shouted and he heard the man's muddled response of "that's fine" before he headed to the back of the store pulling out his phone and dialing his father's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Dad. You got a minute?"

"Yeah, of course. What's the matter?"

"Well, the guy that I got into that fight with came into the store today. He's been spreading shit about me at school and he's just being a complete asshole and making empty threats. I know it's a little petty but -"

"Say no more, son. I'm gonna call up your cousin Kaien and see about getting a restraining order," Isshin said sternly. Ichigo sighed a little in relief.

"Thanks Dad. I'll see you at home."

"Actually, I meant to tell you before you left, but I'm going up to Charlotte for a few days. There's a medical convention, and they asked me to be one of their keynote speakers."

"That's great, Dad. When will you be back?"

"I should be back on Wednesday. I'm leaving in about an hour; I need you to take good care of your sisters while I'm gone, and I also need you to look after the clinic," Isshin said, and Ichigo nodded even though he knew his dad couldn't see him.

"Will do. I better get back up front; call me when you get there."

"Alright, son. Love you."

"Love you too, Dad. Bye."

* * *

Grimmjow checked the time on his vintage Rolex once more. Tier was half an hour late, and he was beyond irritated with her. He knew she wasn't busy. He'd seen to it that Nel cleared her entire schedule for the day, so she didn't have anything else to do. He looked over at his attorney once more who looked equally irritated, a slightly familiar scowl marring his features.

"Say, Kaien, do you know a kid named Ichigo?" he asked the man. Kaien's scowl relaxed into a small smile.

"Yeah, he's my little cousin. Why? You know him?" he replied. Grimmjow shrugged, easing his way into a small lie.

"He's my niece's babysitter."

The door to the conference room opened and Tier strolled in, leisurely, followed by a shorter, dark green-haired woman. Grimmjow and Kaien both stood, Grimmjow shaking hands with the woman he presumed to be Tier's attorney and Kaien shook hands with both of the women before they all took their seats.

"I apologize for our tardiness. Ms. Harribel was experiencing some nausea," the attorney said as Tier sipped from a large water bottle.

"Are you alright?" Grimmjow asked, with genuine concern. Tier rolled her vibrant eyes.

"I'm fine, Grimmjow. Could we maybe get this over with sooner rather than later? I have better things to do with my time."

Grimmjow sat back in his chair, frowning deeply. The only thing keeping him from telling her exactly what he thought of her was his baby that was growing in her. Being honest, he wasn't sure how he was going to put up with her for the next five months. He found solace in the fact that after his baby was born he wouldn't hear from her ever again.

"Alright, well I've drawn up the legal statement that needs to be signed by Ms. Harribel, and by you also, Ms. -?"

"Sung-Sun. I understand that Mr. Jaegerjaquez wishes for Ms. Harribel to sign over her maternal rights to their unborn child, but given the circumstances, she wishes to obtain some sort of compensation for her trouble."

Grimmjow shook his head. How cliché. He should've know it'd come down to money; it always did.

"If you wanted money, why didn't you just ask in the first place, Tier?" he said, in a bored tone.

"Oh please, spare me, Grimmjow. I'm not selling the thing; I just want you to cover the medical costs and put me up for the next few months. Obviously I'm not going to be booking very many jobs in this. . ." - she waved her hand in front of her convex abdomen - ". . .predicament, so I've decided to just let my lease on my apartment go."

Grimmjow raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"That's all you want?" he asked. Tier chewed on her bottom lip, another one of her nervous ticks.

"And I want to know what that boy is to you. The one with the obnoxious hair."

Grimmjow frowned once more as he felt Kaien's gaze shift towards him. Shit, he was caught. He'd have to come up with something.

"He's just Véronique's babysitter," he said, choosing to stick with the previous lie he'd told his attorney. Tier didn't look like she believed him at all; he wanted to inquire upon why it was any of her business, but he knew it'd only make him look defensive. After a while, she gave her attorney a look before she nodded.

"Alright, I will sign the papers on the condition that you will cover my medical bills and allow me to stay in your penthouse. Have we reached an agreement?" she said. Grimmjow nodded and Kaien slid the document across the table to Sung-Sun. The attorney scanned over the document with her lavender eyes before turning to Tier.

"Ms. Harribel, do you understand that once you sign this document, you will not be allowed to appeal for custody of the child in the future, no visitation rights will be granted, and Mr. Jaegerjaquez will not be liable for any child support or other litigation related to the guardianship of the child?" Tier nodded her head and Sung-Sun handed her a pen. She hesitated a bit before she scribbled her signature onto the designated line. Grimmjow almost whooped with joy. Five months and he'd be rid of her; five months, and he'd have a beautiful baby boy or girl to call his own. He could hardly wait.

* * *

Ichigo smiled fondly at Véronique as she twirled around the den singing at the top of her little lungs. She'd requested that he come over when she was left with her uncle while her mother went to handle some business at her company. Much to Grimmjow's dismay, she wanted to watch her favorite movie for the six thousandth time.

"Let it go!  _Laisser aller_ *!" she sang, and Grimmjow found himself smiling at her switch to French.

"Vé, it's time for bed," he said, and the little girl stopped twirling to pout.

" _Mais pourquoi, oncle_ *?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Grimmjow stood and scooped her up, tickling her relentlessly.

" _Parce que j'ai dit ainsi_ *," he said as Véronique squealed with laughter. He took the little girl out of the room.

"Goodnight, Itsygo!"

Ichigo waved to her before he hit the pause button on the remote. He had to admit that hearing Grimmjow speak French was one of the sexiest things he'd heard in his young life. The past months had been hell on his teenage libido, and he'd made his decision; he was going to do. . . _something_  with Grimmjow. He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to do, but he knew he'd had enough of going without the older man's touch. His birthday was still three weeks away, and he couldn't wait that long.

As soon as Grimmjow returned to the den, Ichigo met him halfway, kissing the older man hungrily. Grimmjow was a bit taken aback at Ichigo's sudden zeal, but he complied nonetheless, threading his fingers in the thick orange locks and slipping his tongue into the younger's warm mouth. Ichigo backed Grimmjow up until he fell backwards onto the couch where the orangette proceeded to straddle his lap. They broke apart for air as Grimmjow wrapped his strong arms around Ichigo's lithe frame and kissed his neck sensually. The teen let out soft moans as he felt arousal spreading through his body. His heart began to race as Grimmjow's hands found their way underneath Ichigo's shirt. The older teased the orangehead, finding a sensitive nipple and squeezing it lightly.

"Grimm, please. . ." Ichigo moaned, moving his hips slightly against Grimmjow's. The man groaned and bit down gently on Ichigo's neck. The younger was entirely too sexy for his own good.

He reached for the button on the teen's too-tight jeans and slid it open. Ichigo grasped the sides of Grimmjow's face and attached their lips once more as he allowed the blue-haired man to stroke his straining erection through the fabric of his boxer briefs. He panted against Grimmjow's lips, undulating his hips, pleading silently for more friction. Grimmjow however had a much better idea.

With lips still attached, Grimmjow shifted allowing Ichigo to move into place underneath him. He returned his mouth to the younger male's neck, leaving fleeting kisses along Ichigo's jawline as he tugged the orangette's underwear and freed the hardened length from its confines. He pushed Ichigo's shirt up, running his hands along the smooth planes of skin before he took the tip of his member into his mouth. The teen's back arched off of the couch and he released a long moan, gripping the older man's blue locks.

"G-Grimm. . ." Ichigo's grip tightened as Grimmjow took more of him into his mouth until the younger could feel himself touching the back of the blue haired man's throat. Grimmjow's sucks started off soft and slow, but quickly accelerated and became more aggressive.

Ichigo writhed and bucked his hips shallowly, trying to get more stimulation, but Grimmjow held him down as he continued his ministrations. The teen could feel himself nearing his end so he tugged at Grimmjow's hair, but the man wouldn't budge; in fact, he took it upon himself to wrap his hand around Ichigo's dick and give it a few quick as he continued to suck him. Ichigo's body convulsed before his mouth opened in a silent cry and he released into Grimmjow's mouth. He laid there until he caught his breath, while Grimmjow smiled and tucked his spent length back into his underwear and refastened his pants.

"Grimm, you didn't have to -"

"Shut it, I wanted to do it."

"Let me -"

"Nope," Grimmjow said, pulling Ichigo upright and kissing him gently. "Don't worry about it, Ichi. I'm saving the good stuff for July fifteenth, alright?"

"That wasn't -?"

"Nope."

Grimmjow laughed at Ichigo's confused expression before kissing him once more. Oh, he had a whole lot more to offer.

_You just wait, Ichigo_ , he thought to himself.  _I'm gonna change your life in more ways than one_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Translations: 
> 
> Laisser aller: let it go  
> Mais pourquoi, oncle?: but why, uncle?  
> Parce que j'ai dit ainsi: because I said so


	14. I Need to Go

**Chapter XIV** **:** _**I Need to Go** _

Slinging his backpack over his shoulder, Ichigo left the classroom he'd been in for the past hour and a half with a sigh of relief. School was finally over for the day, and it also helped his mood that there were only two days left and he'd be out for summer break. He stopped by his locker to put away his unnecessary items, and was just about to get his phone out to call Szayel when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around, smiling down at Rukia and Orihime.

"Hey guys, what's up?" he asked as he started to head for the exit. The girls split to opposite sides of him and walked with him.

"Oh nothing. We just heard from Renji that you're gonna be a mommy," Rukia said in a sing-song voice. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, Ichigo, how exciting! But what about the woman? Is she nice? Is she pretty? Do you like her?" Orihime rambled off questions back-to-back and Ichigo frowned in consideration.

"She's about as nice as a wet cat. And she's absolutely gorgeous. You know what they say about beauty only reaching the epidermis though," he said as he texted Szayel. "As far as my like or dislike of her, I can't really say. I haven't had an actual conversation with her so I'm not able to form an unbiased opinion one way or the other."

"So you're really okay with Grimmjow having a baby with someone else?" Rukia asked and Ichigo shrugged.

"It's not like Grimmjow and I even knew each other when the baby was conceived. And she signed over her rights so what she says or does is completely irrelevant after she has the baby."

"What if it's not his?" Orihime asked, softly. Ichigo hadn't even thought of that possibility. But now that it'd been brought to his attention, he found it rather silly. If it wasn't Grimmjow's baby, then why would Tier do all the bullshit she'd done? It wouldn't've affected Grimmjow at all if she aborted another man's baby, and she wouldn't have kept it and bothered with all the things that went with signing over her rights. The whole notion just seemed daft to him.

"That'd be a little stupid, but I'm sure Grimm will have a paternity test done just as a precaution."

Soon they'd reached the exit and Ichigo was about to head towards his ride, when Rukia piped up for one more question.

"Hey, what are you doing for your birthday this year? We know you hate parties, but if you just want us to come over, I can buy you a cake or something and -"

"No, it's cool," Ichigo interrupted. He remembered what Grimmjow had said to him the other night, and he felt himself blush. "I think Grimmjow is planning something." Orihime clapped her hands together at the sight of Ichigo's blush.

"Ooh you guys are totally gonna do it! Just like in the chapter I read last night, I was so excited when they finally -" Rukia slapped her hand across Orihime's mouth and smiled kindly at her other friend who looked like he was about to implode.

"Alright, but we'll still come over and have cake and play video games with you. That cool?" she asked, and Ichigo nodded.

"Sure. I'll see you two tomorrow," he replied before he left to find the Navigator. He was surprised - but not extremely so - when he saw yet another different vehicle, this time a navy blue BMW 5 Series Sedan. He opened the back passenger door and slid inside. "Hey, Szayel. What happened to the Navigator?"

"Mr. Jaegerjaquez is having it serviced. I would've preferred using the Phantom, but he wasn't having it," the pink-haired male responded with a chuckle as he pulled away from the curb.

"Alright. Where am I going today?"

"I was instructed to take you to the penthouse today." Ichigo nodded and settled in for the short ride.

Once he arrived at the penthouse, he quickly walked inside taking the familiar route to the apartment with ease. He rang the doorbell and waited patiently. He smiled fondly at Grimmjow when the older man opened the door. Grimmjow however looked rather vexed.

"What's wrong, Grimm?" Ichigo asked, after he'd walked inside. Grimmjow sighed and sat down on the couch. Ichigo looked around the living room, noticing all the boxes and various other items. "What's all this? Don't tell me you've got  _another_  house?"

Grimmjow just shook his head and gestured for Ichigo to join him on the couch. Ichigo complied and was surprised when Grimmjow wrapped one of his arms around him and pulled him close.

"I think I fucked up," the older male said, quietly before he let Ichigo go. Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" he asked, and Grimmjow shook his head once more. "C'mon, tell me."

"Grimmjow, could you come here please?" A familiar accented voice rang out and Ichigo immediately scowled.

"What the hell is she doing here, Grimm?" he hissed and Grimmjow sighed.

"Gimme a sec and I'll explain, alright?" Ichigo's scowl deepened and Grimmjow let out another sigh as he left the room.

Pissed would not have been an accurate enough description of how Ichigo felt right then. He tried not to act out too much - he wasn't a freaking girl or anything - but Tier's presence infuriated him beyond words. Wasn't it enough that they'd have to put up with her stank attitude for the next five months? Did she really have to show up this often too?

Grimmjow came back then, looking even more annoyed than before. Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest trying his hardest to be mature.

"Well?" he asked, when the older man stayed silent for longer than his liking given the circumstances.

"She signed the papers," Grimmjow responded, and Ichigo let himself relax slightly.

"Well that's great, but it doesn't answer my question," he said. Grimmjow shifted nervously on the couch.

"She had a couple of conditions." Ichigo raised an eyebrow and waited for the blue haired man to continue. "She's going to be staying here for the rest of her pregnancy."

Ichigo's eyes widened, and he shifted away from Grimmjow on the couch. Was he serious?

"Are you kidding me, Grimm? Are you fucking kidding me?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. Grimmjow was surprised to hear the teen speak in such a malicious tone.

"I'm sorry, but what do you want me to do? Leave her to fend for herself while she's carrying my baby? How is that fair?" Grimmjow asked, trying to keep his voice down.

"How is it fair that she left you and threatened to kill your baby?!" Ichigo retorted, standing from the couch to pace.

"Look, Ichigo, it isn't that big a deal, alright? She's staying here, not at my estate where I'll spend most of my time. I'll hire a midwife to look after her."

Ichigo continued to frown as he sat back down next to Grimmjow. The older male bumped his shoulder against the oranget's.

"Don't tell me you're jealous?" he asked with a sly smirk. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"What reason would I have to be jealous? This is about principle. You can't just pretend like she isn't a total bitch to you all the time, and I'm not gonna. . ." Ichigo's rant was cut short by Grimmjow's lips against his. He relaxed into the kiss as Grimmjow slowly threaded his fingers into the younger male's soft hair. Ichigo's eyes slid closed as he brought his hand up to caress the older's face. Grimmjow pulled away and smiled down at Ichigo, who still finished his sentence despite his dazed state, ". . .let you." The blue haired male chuckled before he kissed Ichigo's forehead.

"Don't worry about it, Ichi. I'm not a damsel in distress. I can take care of myself, alright?"

Ichigo allowed himself to pout in a very manly fashion, but nodded nonetheless. Grimmjow smiled gently before he brought their lips together again. The sound of someone clearing their throat caused them to separate, and Grimmjow's blue eyes widened as he took in the stoic look on Tier's face.

Ichigo felt his blood roaring in his ears as she watched them silently. He couldn't tell what she was thinking from her expression. He knew the day would come when he and Grimmjow would have to reveal the true nature of their relationship, but he hadn't wanted it to be right then, and he definitely hadn't wanted it to be to Tier. He bit his lip as he averted his gaze, swearing inwardly.

"Just a babysitter, huh?" Tier said, nonchalantly. Grimmjow frowned.

"As if what I do is any of your business," he growled, and Ichigo felt his skin crawl; Tier had turned her icy gaze on him.

"How old are you, boy?" she asked. Ichigo frowned as well.

"Twenty-two," he answered easily. She glared at him, and he raised an eyebrow as if daring her to challenge his response. She turned back to Grimmjow.

"Do you think I am an idiot?"

"Only on Wednesdays." Ichigo held back a laugh. Tier rolled her eyes.

"Of course you can't be serious about anything. And you -" She faced Ichigo once more, pointing her finger at him. "tell me how old you really are." Ichigo glanced at Grimmjow before he sighed.

"I'm seventeen."

Tier's eyes widened, the first sign of anything other than stoicism that Ichigo had seen on her face. She sat down in the armchair across from them.

"You cannot be serious. He is a child, Grimmjow," she said, and Ichigo visibly bristled.

"He may be younger than me, but he's far from a child, and he's monumentally more mature than you," Grimmjow stated, defiantly. Tier crossed her arms.

"Do you understand what could happen to your reputation if this got out?" she asked, choosing to ignore Grimmjow's statement. The CEO frowned and glanced at Ichigo, who looked rather worried.

"I do, but I don't give a damn."

Ichigo could feel his heart flutter at the sense of finality in Grimmjow's voice. It made him more than happy that Grimmjow was willing potentially give up his life to be with him. He felt himself smile before he heard Tier scoff.

"You're always so reckless. I don't know why I even bother with you; it's like talking to a child," she said, standing from the couch. Grimmjow stood too, a semi-pleading look in his eyes as he stared down at her.

"I know you aren't very fond of me right now, but it'd be great if you kept this between us, alright?" he said. Tier rolled her eyes before wrestling her arm from his grip.

"What do I have to gain from telling anyone anything about you? You aren't that important."

Ichigo made a stank face at her retreating back, but chose to keep his comments to himself. He turned to Grimmjow who'd sat back down on the couch with his fingers steepled in front of his face that was crinkled with pensiveness. Ichigo reached out towards him, but just as his hand neared the head of soft blue hair, his phone rang cutting into the silence sharply. He looked at the screen, a mixture of confusion and alarm crossing his features. It was his neighbor, an elderly woman named Miss Isabelle. She watched the house when he and his father were away, and she only called if there was a real emergency. He quickly swiped his phone's screen and put it to his ear.

"Miss Isabelle, what's wrong?" he asked frantically.

"Darling, y'all's house is on fire!"

"Did you call the police?!" he yelled as he grabbed his hoodie and dashed for the front door. Grimmjow stared after him, obviously worried.

"Yes, yes of course! The fire truck just got here; I believe one of your little sisters is still inside!"

Ichigo choked on a breath. Karin was at soccer practice, but Yuzu...

"I'm on my way now!"

He threw the door open, sprinting out into the hallway. Grimmjow followed, grabbing his arm.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" The orange haired teen panted, frantically trying to free himself from the older man's grasp.

"My - my house. . .I have to go!"

"Ichi, tell me what's going on and I can help you!"

"My house is on fire and my little sister is there!" The words rushed out of Ichigo's mouth, but he still didn't really want to believe them. Grimmjow's eyes widened before he ran back into his apartment. He came back seconds later with his keys, and he grabbed Ichigo's hand.

"C'mon, I'm taking you."

"But what about -"

Grimmjow tsked and pulled Ichigo forward. They took the elevator down to the parking garage and got inside Grimmjow's Phantom; Ichigo's door wasn't even shut before Grimmjow hit the accelerator and sped out of the exit.

Ichigo watched with shocked eyes as Grimmjow concentrated on maneuvering through the sea of traffic. He didn't think he'd get this kind of reaction out of the other man, but he was definitely glad he did. His thoughts slid to Yuzu and he shifted anxiously in his seat. He closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath, only one thought filling his mind to the brim.

_I'm on my way, Yuzu. Please be okay._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it's late, but here's an update:)


	15. I Need Your Help

**Chapter XV** **:** _**I Need Your Help** _

When they finally arrived at Ichigo's house, he threw the passenger door open before Grimmjow had even come to a complete stop. He could see plumes of smoke curling upwards into the air and he felt his heart beating against his chest a mile a minute. He took off towards the large crowd that was formed between the fire engines and ambulances, pushing his way through desperately. When he finally made it to the front, he nearly started to sob at what he saw. The whole house was wrapped in angry flames, from the clinic to the garage on the opposite side. He knew that if they hadn't gotten Yuzu out in time she'd be gone. He tried to push his way forward but he was stopped by a policeman.

"Please, that's my house! My sister might still be inside!" he screamed as he felt tears stinging his eyes.

"Onii-chan!" His head snapped to the left, eyes catching Yuzu. She sat on the back of an ambulance, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a mask over her mouth.

"Yuzu! Please let me through, sir!" he pleaded. The policeman relented and allowed Ichigo to move forward. He ran towards Yuzu, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Yuzu returned his hug full force, as she spoke frantic Japanese.

"I was so scared onii-chan!" she cried, her voice muffled by the mask she wore. Ichigo spoke back to her in Japanese as he stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here, Yuzu. I'm so happy you're alright; I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."

"Nii-chan, who is that man?" she asked gesturing toward the crowd. Ichigo turned to see Grimmjow arguing with the same police officer he'd had trouble with. He went over and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Would you mind letting my cousin through please?" he asked politely. The policeman sighed and allowed Grimmjow to get through. The blue-haired man grumbled under his breath death-glaring the officer as he brushed past. Ichigo chuckled at Grimmjow's actions as they headed back towards Yuzu. She stared curiously at Grimmjow and Ichigo, but she kept quiet. A fireman approached them, tapping Ichigo's shoulder.

"You're Ichigo Kurosaki?"

"Yes sir," he responded.

"Alright, we'd like you to contact your father and let him know what's going on. Your neighbor who made the phone call tried but was unable to reach him. Your sister got out before the fire spread too much, but she'll still need to be taken to the hospital to make sure there's no injuries and that she hasn't been affected by smoke inhalation. You'll need to ride with her. . ."

Ichigo nodded as the fireman gave more instructions, making mental notes to call his dad and find a way to get Karin to the hospital. The major problem he was having was where they would go. Obviously there would be no salvaging anything from their house, and he couldn't book a hotel room, since he was still a minor. This was turning out to be quite the stressful day.

When the fireman was done talking, the EMTs began to strap Yuzu in for her ride to the hospital. Ichigo turned to Grimmjow.

"I don't think they'll let you ride," he said. Grimmjow nodded.

"No problem, I'll follow."

"You know you don't have to, right?" Blue eyes rolled before Grimmjow flicked Ichigo's forehead.

"Get on the damned ambulance and stop asking me stuff like that," he said, a playful grin on his lips. Ichigo smiled back.

"Alright, see you there."

* * *

Once they arrived at the hospital, the EMTs rolled Yuzu inside; Ichigo waited after he'd ensured Yuzu that he'd be inside soon. Grimmjow's car pulled up shortly after, the blue-haired man stepping out and heading towards Ichigo instantly.

"Did they take her in already?" he asked and Ichigo nodded. He still felt nervous asking Grimmjow for favors, but he didn't have any other options. Grimmjow spotted his anxiousness easily. "What's wrong?"

"I - I was just wondering. . .could you book a hotel room for us? I'm not old enough to do it, but -"

"No."

Ichigo fought off a scowl. To Grimmjow, it looked like another one of his manly pouts, which was too cute.

"Why not?" Ichigo asked and Grimmjow chuckled, ruffling the spiky orange hair.

"Because you're going to stay with me." Brown eyes widened before Ichigo shook his head rapidly.

"But I can't! My sisters - I don't want them to -" Grimmjow cut Ichigo's nonsense off with a quick peck to his lips.

"C'mon, Ichi. They're gonna find out sooner or later. Why not now?"

Ichigo couldn't argue with that logic. Tier had already found out, and he was fairly certain she was the only person with malicious intent. He really thought his sisters would like Grimmjow, and he knew they'd adore Nel and Véronique if they got to meet them too. He smiled slightly before he nodded.

"Okay then, we'll stay with you, but only if Karin and Yuzu feel comfortable with it."

"That seems fair. Have you figured out a way to get your other sister here?"

"Yeah, Renji's gonna pick her up from the school and bring her here."

Grimmjow nodded, and they walked inside the hospital together. They weaved through the many patients waiting in the hallway for rooms to free up until they found Yuzu. She was sitting calmly as a nurse asked her questions. Ichigo was proud of her for being so collected and brave in a situation like this one. The nurse walked away as Ichigo and Grimmjow reached Yuzu's bedside. Ichigo stopped in front of her, and she smiled up at him.

"You're getting worry-lines, onii-chan," she commented with a laugh. Ichigo laughed a bit too and ruffled her hair.

"I suppose I should be more like you, huh?" Yuzu gave a definitive nod and they both laughed again. Once they'd sobered, Yuzu turned her gaze to Grimmjow, who'd been watching their exchange in silence.

"What's your name, mister?" she inquired, and Ichigo shifted nervously.

"My name is Grimmjow," the blue haired male replied, standing at Ichigo's side. "What's yours?"

"Yuzu." The brown haired girl stuck her hand out and Grimmjow took it in his own larger one. "Are you onii-chan's boyfriend?"

Ichigo's eyes widened and he shook his head rapidly, sputtering nonsense in the negative. Grimmjow just chuckled, but he shook his head as well.

"No, I'm just a friend."

"Oh." Yuzu didn't sound like she believed that response at all, but any inquiries she was thinking up were cut off by a loud commotion near the check-in desk. Ichigo rolled his eyes and headed over, knowing it could only be Renji. He wasn't shocked to find that he was right; Renji was practically about to jump over the reception desk as he yelled at the nurse who looked rather indifferent to his vexation.

"Hey, Red Lobster, you wanna chill?" Ichigo called out. Renji's tattooed eyebrows were furrowed as he scowled at his orange haired friend.

"You better inform this lady, Ich," he growled. Ichigo laughed.

"Miss, would you mind letting my idiot friend and my little sister through please?" he asked, politely.

"I'm sorry, but patients are only allowed two visitors at a time if they haven't been assigned a room," the nurse responded as she pushed her glasses up on her nose, a living portrait of nonchalance.

"No problem. Karin, you go back with Renji, and I'll come back up here with Grimmjow."

"I don't want to go anywhere with that idiot," Karin commented, crossing her arms over her chest. Renji pouted and Ichigo laughed again. "And who is Grimmjow?"

"Dat bae," Renji said, cackling when Ichigo frowned deeply. The oranget punched his stupid friend in the arm. Renji hissed at the pain but continued to laugh.

"He's just a friend of mine, Rin. You two go ahead back there, alright?" Karin rolled her eyes but followed after Renji anyway. Ichigo caught Grimmjow's attention and gestured for him to join him up front. The blue-haired male strolled over after giving Yuzu a kind smile. They walked to the waiting room and sat down; Grimmjow brushed his hand against Ichigo's slightly, causing the younger to smile a bit.

"Have you tried to get up with your dad again?" he asked. Ichigo shook his head, crossing his arms across his chest. Despite wearing his hoodie, he was still freezing. That was one of the reasons he hated hospitals.

"He's still not answering. I even tried calling the hotel that the convention is being held at, but he's ignoring the calls to his room. I'm starting to get a little worried." Grimmjow scratched at the stubble on his chin as he thought deeply.

"What hotel is he staying in?"

"Charlotte Hilton." Grimmjow nodded and pulled out his cell, scrolling through his contacts until he found the one he was looking for. Ichigo watched as he dialed and placed the phone next to his ear. "Yes, could I speak to Sandra Wallace please? This is Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. Yes, I'll hold thank you."

Ichigo watched curiously as the blue-haired man waited patiently for the person he'd asked for to pick up. He didn't want to seem nosy though, so he got up and walked back over to the reception desk. He could see Renji's obnoxious ponytail heading back up front. The redhead made his way over to Ichigo, a lopsided grin on his face.

"Your sisters are just chatting it up about bae back there," he chided. Ichigo rolled his eyes, but didn't try to fight off his impending blush.

"Yeah, I'm sure you helped with that, Mouth-Almighty Tongue-Everlasting." Renji laughed and Ichigo couldn't help but to join in as they walked back to the waiting room together. Ichigo noticed that Grimmjow had left the room, presumably to find a quieter place to talk on the phone.

"Speaking of help," the redder-head began once they sat back down. "where are you all going to stay? I saw your house on the news, and it's totalled bruh. Did you want to stay at my house? I mean, we've only got the one spare room, but I'm sure we could -"

"Yeah, I know, and it's okay. We're going to stay with Grimmjow." Renji's tattooed eyebrows hit his nearly non-existent hairline and Ichigo raised an eyebrow of his own. "What?"

"You sure that's a good idea, Ich? I mean, your sisters seem to like him well-enough, but do you think they'd be comfortable with something like that?"

Ichigo frowned a little as he pondered his best friend's inquiry. His sisters really did seem to like Grimmjow, and he honestly didn't see the harm in them staying with him, just until their father returned. But that could become an issue - his dad finding out. He hadn't truly been ready for Karin and Yuzu to meet Grimmjow, but the circumstances had sort of thrown him into revealing a portion of his secret to them. He certainly wasn't ready for his father to find out about the blue-haired man. Nobody involved was ready for that. He heaved a sigh and rubbed his palms against his jeans.

"You know what, I'm sorry to make you sweat it," Renji said, gently once he noticed his friend's unraveled state. He patted the orange head's back amicably. "If you think it's a good idea, you should definitely go for it. Just know that I've got a spare bed and a couch if things don't work out." Ichigo smiled and nodded.

"Thanks, man."

Just then, Grimmjow made his way back through the automatic doors, frowning deeply at his phone's screen. He sat down next to Ichigo, who looked at him curiously.

"Grimmjow, what's wrong?" the teen asked, carefully. The older male continued to frown before he gave Ichigo a grave look.

"Your father isn't in Charlotte, Ichi."


	16. I Need an Explanation

**Chapter XVI** **:** _**I Need an Explanation** _

Ichigo paced back and forth across Grimmjow's living room floor with his phone pressed to his ear. After the sixth ring, his father's voicemail began, and he fought the urge to throw his poor phone across the room. He couldn't help feeling an overwhelming amount of anxiety; his father was - for all intents and purposes - missing. He couldn't believe that his father would lie to him like that. Thank goodness for Grimmjow, or he and his sisters would be all but stranded.

Speaking of Grimmjow, the man watched Ichigo from the sofa, a worried look on his face. He hadn't meant to cause the teen so much distress, but he completely understood it. It just seemed so odd to him that a father would just disappear without letting his kids know what was happening. Usually it wouldn't be such a big deal, but this time something life-threatening had actually happened. He shook his head slightly as Ichigo continued to pace, tugging at his bright hair as he dialed his father's number for what had to be the three hundredth time.

"Dad, where are you? I need you to answer please. It's an emergency, and I'm worried about you. Why did you lie about where you were going? Please just -" The teen pulled his phone away from his ear looking absolutely destroyed. Grimmjow's frown deepened as Ichigo slumped down on the couch beside him. His brown eyes were cast down at the floor as he spoke, "The voicemail's full now. I just don't get it, Grimm. How could he be so irresponsible? I don't even think I can file a missing person's report because I don't know if he was ever even in Charlotte in the first place. This is so messed up."

Grimmjow laid a hand on the younger male's back as he leaned over and put his head in his hands. The blue-haired man couldn't stand to see Ichigo in such an unravelled state.

"We'll go down to the police department anyways and see what can be done. In the meantime, let's just make sure you and your sisters are taken care of," he said, and Ichigo sat up, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"Thank you," he said, sliding closer to Grimmjow and wrapping his arms around the other male's waist. "Not just for that, for everything. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Grimmjow smiled and brought his hand to soft orange locks, tousling them gently.

"No thanks necessary, Ichi. I'd do anything for you." The orange-haired male felt the warmth of his blush spreading across his cheeks, and he hid his face within the crook of Grimmjow's neck, taking in the man's pleasant scent.

Just then, there was a loud commotion as three giggling girls ran into the room, circling the couch where the two males sat. Ichigo quickly pulled away from Grimmjow, but definitely not fast enough for the two older girls to miss it. Karin smirked at them while Yuzu continued to giggle behind her hand. Véronique climbed into Ichigo's lap, tugging at his hair, like she'd grown accustomed to doing.

"Ichi, your sister taught me a word!" she chirped, cheerily. Ichigo smiled and ruffled her dark locks.

"That's good. Tell me what it is."

"Ichi's hair is  _orenji_ , and my favorite color is  _orenji_."

The older people in the room praised Véronique as she beamed, just as proud of herself as they were of her. She wiggled her way out of Ichigo's lap and skipped over to Karin who took her small hand in her own larger one.

"Is it alright if I take her outside? She wants me to teach her some soccer stuff," the older girl asked. Grimmjow nodded.

"No problem. Just be sure to stay on the main lawn where someone can see you." The girls nodded, and trotted out of the room. Ichigo had expected Yuzu to go with them, but instead, she glided over to the sofa where he and Grimmjow sat and plopped herself down right in between. An uncharacteristically smug look crossed her features as she looked at the both of them, first at her brother and then at his "friend"; Ichigo felt extremely uncomfortable, and from the older male's posture, he would surmise that Grimmjow felt the same way.

"So, Mr. Grimmjow, how did you meet my brother?"

The two males stiffened even more, if that was possible, and Ichigo began to stutter until Grimmjow's phone rang in his pocket. The blue-haired male immediately stood and excused himself, leaving the room with his phone pressed to his ear. Ichigo exhaled and was almost relieved until he felt Yuzu's big doe-eyed stare burning a hole in the side of his face. He turned towards her only to be met with the same smug look.

"I'm still waiting for my answer, nii-chan."

"Well, it's uh - it's a little complicated, Yu. Maybe I'll explain it when you're older."

"Ichigo, I'm thirteen years old, and I had to figure out menstruation with an insane father, apathetic sister, and prudish brother instead of a mother. I think I'm ready for just about anything." Ichigo cringed a little, still freaked out by the fact that his little sisters were going through puberty. He still wasn't ready to reveal the whole truth to her though.

"Alright, fine. Grimmjow and I met through his sister. I babysit Véronique as a second job." Yuzu appeared a bit skeptical before she smiled.

"Is she the pretty woman with the green hair that I saw in the photos in the family room? I suppose I should have figured that out since little Vé has the very same big grey eyes as her. Do we get to meet her too?"

"Sure," Ichigo said, with a smile. "She's pretty busy with her company, but she'll be here around seven to pick Vé up."

"Cool. Say, do you think Mr. Grimmjow will let me cook? I know people are weird about their kitchens sometimes, but Vé wants to try Japanese food, and I'd much rather make it than have someone buy her Hibachi Express or something."

Ichigo thought about it for a second before he answered.

"You know, you could ask Grimmjow, but I think he'll just tell you to ask his chef." Yuzu's eyes widened and she clasped her hands under her chin.

"He has a chef? Like a real chef?" Ichigo nodded. "Oh, nii-chan, do you think he'd mind me cooking with him?"

"I don't think  _she'd_  mind at all, Yu." Yuzu's smile brightened even more and Ichigo couldn't help smiling too. "Just ask Grimmjow when he gets back from his phone call." Yuzu nodded furiously and Ichigo turned on the television. They sat watching  _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ , until Grimmjow returned to the doorway and gestured for Ichigo to step out into the hall. The younger male rose and walked over to Grimmjow, a look of worry crossing his features.

"What's wrong, Grimm?" he asked. Grimmjow ran a hand through his disheveled blue locks.

"That was Isane. T is in the hospital, so I've got to go and check on her." Ichigo nodded, placing a hand on Grimmjow's shoulder.

"Do you need me to go with you?" he asked. The older male grasped Ichigo's hand and brought it to his cheek.

"No, it's fine. You need to be here with your sisters. I'll go there and make sure she's fine and that nothing is wrong with the baby and I'll be back before dinner." Ichigo brushed Grimmjow's cheek with his thumb, and smiled.

"Okay. Speaking of dinner, do you think Yoruichi would mind if Yuzu cooked with her tonight? Vé told her that she'd like to try Japanese food."

"I don't think she'd mind at all, but she's already here, so you can go and ask her." Ichigo nodded once more, and Grimmjow leaned down, pecking him softly on the lips. "I'll be back soon."

" _Ki o tsukete_."

* * *

Grimmjow made his way to the reception area, regretting not asking Isane what room Tier was in. He'd hired her as a midwife about seven days prior and she seemed to be doing a very good job. He wasn't really sure, but he thought Tier liked her, or at least tolerated her. He honestly didn't think Tier liked anyone, but he digressed. He came to a stop in front of the reception desk, the same nurse from when he'd came with Ichigo looking at him over the top of her glasses.

"Can I help you?" she asked, stoically.

"Uh, yeah. Tier Harribel, please." The nurse raised an eyebrow but turned to her computer and typed away nonetheless.

"She's on the third floor, room 316."

"Thank you," Grimmjow said, with a nod. He hurried over to the elevators, glad to be free from the woman's gaze. If she ever felt like giving up on nursing, she could definitely go for being a Catholic nun, since she already had the penance stare down. Once the elevator stopped at the third floor, he got off and followed the signs to find Tier's room. Isane stood outside the door, smiling once she spotted him.

"Hey there, Mr. Jaegerjaquez!" she called, cheerily. Grimmjow smiled slightly and gave a short wave. "The doctor says she and the baby are going to be just fine."

"Well what exactly happened?"

"She was throwing up a lot more than is normal, and her skin was very pale. I wanted to bring her here sooner, but she refused. Then I noticed that her eyes were losing pigmentation, so I told her I didn't care what she wanted, she was getting in the car and we were coming to the hospital."

"Well that's good; thanks a lot. Has the doctor come up with any diagnosis?"

"She's a bit dehydrated from all the vomiting, and she also has Waardenburg syndrome." Grimmjow raised an eyebrow at that, so Isane continued to explain. "Don't worry, it isn't anything life threatening. It's just what's causing her eyes to lose pigmentation. Some sections are turning blue. The doctor felt it was best for her to know, since there's a very high possibility that the baby will have the disorder too."

Grimmjow frowned at that. He'd never heard of this disease before, and Tier hadn't ever said anything about having any medical issues that he recalled. He remembered seeing spots of blue in her vibrant green irises, but he just thought it was another thing that made her beautiful.

"Like I said, nothing life threatening, but one of the symptoms is moderate to profound hearing loss, which means Tier will go deaf at some point; it's very possible that the baby could be born deaf or eventually go deaf if he or she is diagnosed with Waardenburg."

Now Grimmjow was extremely worried. He barely understood the ins and outs of raising a child, so how was he supposed to handle raising a child with special needs, especially since he would be on his own? Isane noticed the worry etched into his features, and she smiled gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, don't worry about all that right now. At this moment, the baby is just as healthy as can be, so cheer up. These are simply precautionary things that I'm telling you so that you can be prepared just in case. If worst comes to worst, I'll help you; my little sister is deaf."

"Thanks for this, Isane."

"No problem!" she said with a bright smile. "It's what I get paid for. They're keeping her overnight for observation since she's pregnant, but they'll let her go tomorrow morning. Go on in and see her now." Grimmjow nodded and stepped into the room.

Tier sat in the bed, messing with her phone. Isane was right when she said Tier was pale; her usually caramel colored skin was a blanched beige color. She was still undeniably beautiful though, and Grimmjow sighed as he closed the door behind himself.

"Why didn't you call me?" he asked. Tier looked up from her phone then, her blue-speckled eyes rolling in their sockets.

"I did not want to interrupt." It was Grimmjow's turn to roll his eyes.

"Look, no one said anything like that. You're free to call me anytime as long as it has to do with your health and wellbeing. At some point in this, you're gonna have to get over the fact that I'm moving on and stop being so fucking hostile." Tier glared, her eyes shining as she frowned. Grimmjow didn't back down, though he'd admit only to himself that her angry stare scared him shitless. He continued to speak, "In the future, I'd like to receive a call if something is wrong. God, what if something serious had happened? What were you gonna do, wait two months to tell me again?"

Tier crossed her arms under her ample cleavage and exhaled.

"It was not like that. I just -" She sighed again. "I just honestly did not want to interrupt. I can see very clearly that you are moving on, and I do not want to seem like I am imposing myself on that. I know I can be a real bitch, and most of the time it is intentional, but I really think you like that kid, and I can see that he requites your feelings. I know it's a little hard to believe, but I do in fact have a heart."

Grimmjow looked at her a little skeptically before he smiled.

"Alright, fine. Let's end what we had as friends and start over." He held out his hand. Tier looked at it a little funny before she took it in her own and shook. Grimmjow grinned. "Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, pleased to make your acquaintance." Tier actually laughed at that.

"Tier Harribel, very nice to meet you."

* * *

Ichigo watched as Yuzu danced around the kitchen with Yoruichi, the younger girl seemingly having the time of her life as she gathered ingredients for the meal she was going to prepare. The chef had instantly responded in the affirmative when Ichigo asked her if Yuzu could prepare the night's meal, and the brown-haired girl was ecstatic. Yoruichi had also agreed to give Yuzu lessons and pointers. Ichigo was grateful for that; he had no idea Yuzu was interested in the culinary arts but it definitely made sense that she would be, and he was glad Yoruichi was kind enough to help.

Karin seemed to have developed a very strong bond with Véronique, as she was now sitting across from Ichigo with the little girl, coloring in a picture of Elsa the Ice Queen in a coloring book. Honestly he'd expected Yuzu to be the one to latch onto the little girl, being the mothering type, but Vé seemed much more interested in Karin's hobbies, such as soccer and gaming. He was just happy they were all getting along, and even happier that both the twins seemed to like Grimmjow just as much as they liked his niece.

Ichigo pulled his phone out of his pocket to snap a picture of the priceless moment of Karin coloring in a  _Frozen_ coloring book, but was halted when the device began to ring, his father's contact information flashing on the screen. He immediately sprang from his chair and excused himself, crossing through the dining room and into the sunroom.

"Dad, what the hell?" he hissed when he answered.

"What's going on, Ichigo? What's the emergency?" Isshin asked, almost casually. Ichigo felt his blood boiling as he responded.

"Where the hell have you been, Dad? Because you sure as fuck weren't where you said you were going to be." He wasn't one to direct profanity at his parent, but he figured he had the right in this case.

"Okay, I wasn't at a conference, but I'll explain later. What -"

" **NO** ," Ichigo nearly growled into the phone. "You explain to me where the fuck you are and why you didn't answer my fucking calls  _right_ _ **now**_!" He heard his father sigh, and he knew if the situation were different, he'd get his ass kicked in.

"Look, son, this isn't something I can tell you over the phone. Just tell me what's going on for now, and I promise you that I will explain everything when I get back in town tomorrow."

Ichigo relented, though he was still fuming as he explained to his father everything that had happened. He told him how the firemen had said that the fire started from some faulty wiring in the clinic, and that Yuzu was lucky to be alive, since the house could have exploded. He left out Grimmjow, of course, opting to tell his dad that he and his sisters were staying at Renji's house. He heard the man sigh, a quiver in his deep voice as he spoke.

"I'm so sorry, Ichigo. I promise I will explain everything when I get home."

"Yeah, whatever. You better make it back here in one piece, or so help me, Goatface -"

"You'll break your foot off in my ass?" Ichigo couldn't help but to laugh, since that was exactly what he was about to say. "I got it son. I'll be back in-state by around five or six tomorrow evening."

"Better be. Love you, Goatface."

"Love you too, son."

Ichigo sighed as he hung up the phone and slid it back into his pocket. It was good to know that his father was okay, but he definitely wanted that explanation, and if he didn't get it, Isshin would have absolute hell to pay.


	17. I Need Your Touch

**Chapter XVII** **:** _**I Need Your Touch** _

"Food's good, Yuzu. Nice job," Grimmjow said, with a smile. Yuzu cast her eyes downward and a faint blush formed over her cheeks, much in the likeness of her older brother. Grimmjow surmised that it ran in the family.

"Thank you, Mr. Grimmjow," she said, shyly.

"No problem."

The girl's blush intensified, and Grimmjow shook his head.  _Definitely runs in the family_.

Just then, the doors to the dining room swung open, revealing Nel, her arms weighed down with five or six large, black shopping bags with the word  _GAMUZA_ printed on them in bold hot pink letters. Ichigo's face blanched. He was aware that Grimmjow had requested via text message that Nel bring clothing for the girls, since they weren't able to salvage anything from the house; however, he was not prepared for what would be in those bags. _GAMUZA_ was the name of Nelliel's lingerie company. Nel apparently sensed his discomfort and she smiled, setting the bags down in two of the empty seats at the table.

"Please fix your face, Ichi dear. I'm not stupid, and lingerie isn't the only thing my company makes," she said, giggling when Ichigo visibly exhaled in relief. Nel took the seat next to Véronique, blowing a raspberry on her little girl's cheek. Véronique pouted and wiped at her cheek.

"Maman,  _s'il vous plaît_.  _Ça ce n'est vraiment pas cool_."

Nelliel laughed and looked around the table, taking in the sight of the food.

"Oh wow, this looks great! Is this yakisoba chicken?" she asked, grabbing a plate and filling it with a healthy serving of the dish. Yuzu nodded, and smiled.

"How did you know?"

"Well, back in college, I spent a semester with a family in Japan and went to school there. The mom, Miss Tsukimi - such a sweetheart she was - she used to make this every Thursday. I can't wait to try yours," Nel replied.

Yuzu beamed as Nel gathered a hearty amount of pasta on her fork and put it in her mouth before chewing thoughtfully and letting out a satisfied sigh. The green-haired woman gave the younger girl a thumbs up.

"It's amazing! Ichi, you've got a little culinary genius for a sister!"

Ichigo smiled as Yuzu thanked Nel for the compliment. It was nice to see his family getting along so well with Grimmjow's family. He was still worried about his father though. What kind of a mess was he in that he'd just disappear for three days without letting his own children know where he was going and what he was doing? The whole thing seemed suspect to him. He chose not to tell his sisters anything until he spoke to his father in person, opting to simply tell the girls that their father would be returning the next day.

"Ichi-nii? What are you daydreaming about?" Karin asked, nudging his arm.

"Nothing, nothing. It's getting late. You girls should start getting ready for bed," he responded. Karin and Yuzu both groaned, with identical frowns on their young faces.

"But onii-chan, it's only eight o'clock," the brown-haired twin whined, but Ichigo wouldn't be swayed.

"No buts. You have school tomorrow. Please thank Miss Nel for the clothes and get your showers so that Grimmjow can show you to your room."

The girls sighed and stood from the table, before walking around to the side where Nel sat. They picked up their bags and thanked her, leaving the dining room dejectedly.

"Wow, Ichigo. I didn't know you were such a dad," Grimmjow commented cheekily. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

"Maybe you should be taking notes,  _otousan_."

"Yes, you should, papa," Nel added with a giggle. Grimmjow frowned and stood from the table.

"C'mon, Ichigo. I'll show you your room."

"Aww, Grimm! You're such a poor sport," the green-haired woman called after them. Grimmjow threw his hand up over his shoulder, dismissing her as Ichigo followed him out of the room. Once they were far from the dining room, the orange-haired teen reached out, grasping the older male's hand.

"Hey, you're not mad, are you? You've been kind of quiet since you got back from the hospital."

Grimmjow smiled, giving Ichigo's hand a light squeeze.

"Of course I'm not mad. I've just got a lot on my mind is all. Here's your room. Mine is across the hall if you need anything," he said. Ichigo nodded, pulling up to peck him gently on the lips.

He turned around in the room, taking in the pristine white decor, from the king-sized canopy bed, down to the white carpet. He definitely wouldn't be bringing any juice in here. He paced slowly to the bed, pulling his phone from his back pocket before he flopped down on the ridiculously soft bedding. He had a few messages from his friends, all of them checking to make sure he and his sisters were okay. After responding to them all, he got up and headed to the adjacent bathroom, stripping down for a shower. Once he was finished, he grabbed one of the fluffy black towels and dried himself before returning to the bedroom and dressing in the large white t-shirt and grey pajama pants that belonged to Grimmjow. They were both way too big for him, so he grabbed the drawstrings and pulled them as tight as they could go, not bothering with the shirt, since there wasn't much he could do about it.

He got into the bed, fully prepared to go to sleep; but once there, he couldn't seem to get his eyes to close, nor his brain to slow down. He figured it was just from being in an unfamiliar place. He'd been in Grimmjow's house plenty of times, but he'd never stayed the night before. He sighed and turned to his other side, picking up his phone that he'd plugged into the charger. Once he unlocked it, he chose Grimmjow's name from his contact list, typing out his message quickly,

**Are you still awake?**

The response came promptly,

_Yes._

**Is it okay if I sleep with you?**

_Sure._

Ichigo smiled before he climbed out of the bed, fixing the covers back. He collected his phone and charger and crossed the hall, facing the closed door leading to Grimmjow's room. He felt a little flutter in his stomach; maybe this was a bad idea. They'd already had a long history of not being able to keep their hands to themselves. In the end, he shrugged and opened the door. What was the worst that could possibly happen? He'd get pregnant? He snorted at his ludicrous thoughts as he walked into the bedroom.

"What's so funny, Ichi?" Grimmjow's deep voice rumbled. The room was dark, save for the light coming from the large flatscreen television that was mounted over a fireplace. Ichigo's eyes swept across the room until they met Grimmjow's sparkling blue ones. The older male smiled at the ginger's blush, as the teen fought to avoid ogling the expanse of the blue-haired male's built chest that was laid before him.

_Heaven help me_ , Ichigo thought, as he shook his head and made his way over to the bedside table to plug in his phone charger. He set an alarm, trying to avoid the hassle of explaining to his sisters why he was sleeping in Grimmjow's bed. Once he was finished, he climbed into the California king bed, making sure to stick to one side and lying on his back. He shut his eyes, but he couldn't sleep. The nagging sensation of eyes watching him kept him up. He slit his eyes open, giving his bed partner a nicely executed side-eye.

"What is it?" he asked. Grimmjow's gaze was even, as if Ichigo was supposed to know what he wanted. The teen turned on his side, facing the muscular male next to him. "Use your words, sir. I can't read minds."

"I was just wondering why I'm not getting a goodnight kiss."

Ichigo pursed his lips.  _What a lamewad_ , he thought, but he couldn't help smiling after a few seconds. He reached out and grabbed Grimmjow's arm, pulling the larger male toward himself and attaching their lips.

The kiss started out slow and sensual, full of delicious wet sounds before it quickly escalated to something much hotter that set Ichigo's libido ablaze. He soon found himself losing it in the other's man's grasp, as Grimmjow had wrapped his strong arms around Ichigo's leaner body, his large hands finding their way under the teen's shirt and caressing every inch of skin available to them. Ichigo let out a soft moan, as Grimmjow ran a finger across the top of the skin just above the waistband of his pants. Ichigo's tongue found its way into Grimmjow's mouth, beginning a heated, sensuous dance with the other appendage. The oranget slid closer to the other man, not wanting a single inch of space between them as he wrapped his arms around broad shoulders, deepening the kiss even further. He gasped as he felt something very large, and very hard poking at his pelvic bone. Grimmjow pulled away, abruptly ending the kiss and causing Ichigo to let out a semi-unmanly whine.

"Shit, I'm sorry, Ichi," the blue-haired male said almost bashfully. Ichigo Iifted an eyebrow.

"For what?" he asked. Grimmjow pulled him back toward himself, trailing butterfly kisses across his skin.

"For this," he responded, grinding himself against the younger male slightly. Ichigo felt his own arousal twitch at the action.

"Don't apologize." He kissed the other's lips, running his hand along the smooth skin of Grimmjow's chest, down to the waistband of his boxer briefs. When the blue-haired male gasped, Ichigo asked against his lips, "Can I see?" Grimmjow nodded, and Ichigo tugged at the waistband, pulling until the older man's rigid length sprang free from the confines.

It was beautiful, thick and long with a pattern of purple veins decorating the skin of the shaft. Ichigo knew his eyes were the size of silver dollars, his only thought the question of how all of  _that_ would ever fit inside of him. He reached out slowly, feeling the heat radiating from the man's groin before he even touched it. Once he did touch it though, Grimmjow hissed and drew back slightly.

"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked, and Grimmjow shook his head.

"Nothing. It's just that I wouldn't want to force you to do anything that you don't want to do." Ichigo deadpanned.

"Grimm, if I didn't want to touch your dick, do you really think I'd be touching your dick?" The blue-eyed male couldn't help erupting with laughter at the teen's wording.

"I suppose not," he responded, once he sobered.

"Alright then," Ichigo said, kissing him softly. "May I continue without any more disruptions, please?" The other man nodded, and Ichigo returned to his previous actions, wrapping his hand around the base of Grimmjow's length and sliding it gently upward. The blue-haired man let out a shaky breath as Ichigo continued, speeding up his movements slightly, as he kissed the other's neck. Grimmjow inhaled sharply, as Ichigo's mouth found one of his sensitive nipples and bit down lightly.

"Ugh, fuck," the man whispered, his voice deep and raspy from arousal, and Ichigo thought he'd cry right then and there from the sheer sexiness of that sound. He pushed at the larger male's shoulder, forcing him onto his back and sliding down between his legs. He took in a breath as he looked down at the man's terribly hard erection. He'd never given anyone oral stimulation before, and he found himself getting a little nervous. "Hey," Grimmjow said, reaching up and touching Ichigo's smooth cheek. The teen tore his eyes away from the straining appendage before him, and met his partner's with them. "You know you don't have to do that, right? What you were doing is more than enough." Ichigo nodded, but he didn't want to accept that. He wasn't a coward, and as an added bonus, he wanted nothing more than to have that glorious dick hit the back of his throat. He just had to come up with a strategy.

He wrapped his hand around the base, bringing himself down and giving the tip a swift lick, catching a bit of pre-cum on his tongue. The taste was heady, not bad, but not delicious either; it was virtually tasteless. He thanked the gods for that, because he'd heard his fair share of horror stories about guys with funny tasting spunk, and he wasn't for it. He took the tip into his mouth, causing the man beneath him to inhale sharply once more and grip the orange hair on his head. Ichigo decided he was ready for more, and so he slid his slick mouth further down the shaft, giving it little fleeting sucks as he went along. The blue-haired male cursed and moved his hips a bit, causing the teen to take in even more of his length. Ichigo wasn't sure how sensitive his gag-reflex was, so he pulled back slowly, letting the appendage go with an audible pop.

"How am I doing?" he asked, cheekily, and Grimmjow snorted a laugh.

"Fucking amazing." Ichigo laughed as well before he returned to his ministrations, taking in half of Grimmjow's erection in one go. "Shit!" the man cursed, letting his head fall back against the pillows as his partner took in more and more of his member until the orange-head's nose touched the blue hairs at the base. Ichigo released air from his nostrils and hummed against the mouthful, causing Grimmjow to groan with satisfaction. The teen would admit to no one that he quite enjoyed being responsible for unravelling his otherwise collected consort in this manner. It made him feel powerful, and he felt his own arousal becoming painfully hard as he hollowed his cheeks, moving his mouth effortlessly up and down Grimmjow's shaft. He glanced up, catching Grimmjow's electrifying gaze.

His eyes were dark, swirling with lust and sensuality. He reached out, touching Ichigo's head, running his fingers through the thick orange locks.

"I'm so close, baby," he breathed bodily. Ichigo's eyes fluttered shut, his whole body shivering with desire. He focused on his task wholeheartedly, swallowing the entire length of Grimmjow's adamantine erection, forcing a most delightful growl of approval from the man's throat. "Fuck, fuck. . ."

Ichigo pulled away as Grimmjow's length throbbed in his mouth. He was shocked when he felt warm liquid hit his cheek, and he instinctively closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he caught sight of Grimmjow's post-orgasm face, and he was entranced. The man was the single most beautiful thing the orange-haired teen had ever laid eyes on.

"Shit, I'm sorry, Ichigo," Grimmjow said, and Ichigo was confused as to why he was apologizing before the man grabbed a Kleenex from his nightstand and wiped the oranget's face.

"It's okay," Ichigo said, pulling himself up to Grimmjow's side and snuggling against the man's chest. "Sleep now." Surprisingly, Ichigo glanced up to find that Grimmjow was already asleep. He smiled, and grabbed the remote, turning off the television. He drifted off to the sound of Grimmjow's steady heartbeat.


	18. I Need an Apology

**Chapter XVIII** : **I Need an Apology**

The next day, Ichigo sent the girls off for their last day of school, opting to skip his own. There wouldn't be much for him to do, and he'd see his friends later that day, as he'd be seeing them off to a trip to Myrtle Beach. He was on the fence about whether he'd be joining them. It really depended on his dad. Speaking of his dad, he'd been trying his hardest to figure out what was going on with him. There could only be so many things that he could have been doing, and he hoped against hope that his father hadn't pulled a Walter White and started cooking methamphetamine. That was drama that none of them needed in their lives. Honestly, it seemed that they had more than enough of that already.

"Ichigo! I've got clothes for you!" Nel called from another room. The teen rose from the bed where he'd been sitting and padded down the hall. He found Nel and Véronique in the parlor with clothing spread out all around them. Nel held up a pair of deep purple jeans that were certainly not meant for males, and Ichigo frowned slightly.

"Uh, those aren't -"

"Yeah, I know. My company doesn't make clothing for males yet, something I've been working on for a few years. Can't make any progress when the board of directors is a group of old fuddy duddy grandmas, but I digress." She handed him the jeans, which he then realized were actually faux pants. "Now here, try these on, dear. They're the largest junior size, so you should have some room in them."

Ichigo nodded and left the room after he took the black v-neck shirt she was handing him. He returned to the room he'd stayed in, and pulled on the pants over his navy boxer briefs. He looked at himself in the standing mirror, smiling slightly and shaking his head. He was wearing girl pants; who was he, Shinji? He chuckled and picked the shirt up from the bed, sliding it over his head. He tugged at the hem, but it refused to budge, stopping just above the waistband of his underwear.

"Gross," he mumbled, before he grabbed his Vans and slipped them on. He checked the clock on the wall, seeing that it was about time to pick the girls up from school. He grabbed his gym bag and his phone and left the room, heading back to the parlor where Nel still sat. "Hey, do you know if Szayel is here?"

"I don't think so. Grimmjow said something about having him take Tier to some doctor's appointments today."

"Damn," Ichigo said, with a sigh. He checked his wristwatch once more. "It's almost time for me to get my sisters from school."

"I'll take you to get them," Nel chirped. "It's no problem at all."

"Okay, thanks."

After she'd returned all the clothing to their proper bags, Ichigo followed Nel out to Grimmjow's garage where they got into her car. She strapped Véronique in before moving around to the driver's side while Ichigo slid into the passenger's seat. The teen was putting in his earbuds when his phone started to ring, his dad's contact information displaying on the screen. He quickly answered as Nel pulled out of the parking garage.

"Hey, Dad. Are you on your way back yet?"

"I've just touched down in Raleigh," the elder Kurosaki responded. Ichigo frowned.

"Why are you there?"

"I had a layover here. I should be back at around five. Is Renji's mother expecting us?" An orange eyebrow raised up at that question.

"Us?" the teen asked. His father cleared his throat. "I meant me."

"Yeah, sure." The oranget rolled his eyes. His father was obviously hiding something. He didn't have long before he'd find out exactly what that was though. "She said we can stay as long as we need to."

"Well, hopefully that won't be very long. I'm going to contact the insurance company tomorrow. I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, bye."

"That your dad?" Nel asked, and Ichigo grunted in the affirmative. Nel chuckled as she turned the air conditioning up. "I can definitely understand why you're so pissed at him. What was he thinking about, just disappearing like that? I know I'd be really mad too. Hopefully he has a valid explanation for you."

"I don't even know if anything will be a valid enough explanation, but we'll see," Ichigo grumbled.

"You know, from the talks we've had, your dad seems like a great guy. Don't hold this against him for too long."

"I'll do my best," the teen responded, slipping in his earbuds and turning to stare out the window.

* * *

"I don't need another car."

"Okay, but you don't want me driving your Phantom, you told me the Navigator was only for Ichigo, and the Maybach is only for special occasions, so that just leaves the BMW. Which you don't want Ms. Harribel to ride in for some reason. What am I supposed to do? Carry her on my back? You're not being very reasonable, sir." Grimmjow frowned as he typed on his computer, balancing the phone between his ear and shoulder. He knew Szayel was right, but he really didn't want to buy another car. At least not yet. He sighed as he sent the email he'd been typing and leaned back in his chair.

"Fine, fine. You can use the BMW to take her. The first time she opens her mouth to complain, you have permission to tell her to get out and walk."

"Very well, sir. I should be back in time to take Ichigo and his sisters to his friend's house."

"No, no. I'm going to take them myself. After Tier is finished with her appointments, you can take the rest of the day off."

"Thank you, sir. Goodbye." Szayel hung up before Grimmjow could say anything else, not that he was going to.

The CEO pushed his fingers through his disheveled blue hair and exhaled deeply. He'd been thinking about what Isane had told him when Tier had gotten sick. He knew he had a tendency to worry over nothing, but he couldn't help himself. He'd been on edge since that day, and everyone noticed.

"Mr. Jaegerjaquez, your sister is on line two," Momo spoke through Grimmjow's intercom system. He sighed before he picked up the phone and placed it against his ear.

"Helllllllllllooooo! My darling little brother~!" Nel chimed, giggling when Grimmjow groaned.

"What is it, Nel? I'm busy."

"Oh, yeah? Busy doing what? Playing solitaire?" Grimmjow glanced at his computer's screen, exiting out of the game of solitaire that he'd been playing.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to come out of that stuffy old office and have lunch with us!"

"No."

"Oh, don't be that way! C'mon, Vé misses you," she said, and he could hear his niece's voice in the background confirming it. He sighed before looking at his schedule. A few meetings that could stand to be pushed back, an interview that he didn't want to do in the first place, and nothing else.

"Fine. Where are you going?" He held the phone away from his ear as Nel squealed.

"Meet us at the pizza place near where Itsygo used to live. Vé loved it last time, so we're going again."

"Alright, I'll see you there." He hung up before Nel's squeals could assault his eardrums again and pressed the button to page Momo. The timid assistant stepped into the office a few seconds later.

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Cancel the rest of my afternoon schedule. Reschedule the meetings, but forget the interview. I'm not doing it." Momo nodded and scribbled his instructions down on her clipboard.

"Anything else?"

"No. When you're finished, take the rest of the day. I'm not coming back, so I won't make you stay."

"Okay. See you on Monday, Mr. Jaegerjaquez."

With a nod to his assistant, Grimmjow gathered his things and left his office. Though his sister could be a real nuisance when she wanted to be, he had to admit her big sister-sense was superb. There wasn't anyone who could tell when he was upset or when he needed a distraction from his own thoughts more than Nel, and for that he was truly grateful. Not that he'd ever tell her that and risk having to hear about it for the rest of his life.

As he cruised down the freeway towards Smyrna, his thoughts wandered to his. . . _damn_. Even after all the time they'd spent together over nearly six months, he still had no clue what to call Ichigo. This was getting a bit ridiculous in his opinion, but he knew he had to wait. With the way things were in the country they lived in, he could be arrested just for having a suggestive photo of the teen in his phone. That wouldn't be such a huge issue once the other male's birthday came around. Grimmjow smiled to himself, knowing he was probably making the "rape-face" that Nnoi was always scolding him about. He couldn't help himself though. He was ready to make things official between them. After what happened the previous night, he didn't even know if he'd be able to control himself until Ichigo's birthday. Virgin or not, the orange-haired male had skills. Grimmjow was getting turned on just thinking about the way Ichigo had smiled at him and asked _"How am I doing?"_ , teasing the fuck out of him. _I'm gonna die before this is over. I just know it_ , he thought. He took a deep breath as he pulled into the spot next to Nel's car in front of the pizza parlor. _Alright, calm the fuck down. Can't go in there with a boner._

Once he was inside, he spotted a familiar head of green hair at a table with another familiar head of orange. He felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of Ichigo's genuine smile as he laughed at something Nel said. He shook his head, trying in vain to shake off his excitement, so as not to show just how happy he was to see the orange-haired teen. Didn't want to freak the kid out. He made his way to the table, his young niece being the first of the group to spot him.

" _Oncle_!" she called, hopping down from her chair and running towards Grimmjow. He caught her in his arms and spun her around as she squealed in delight. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, _petit monstre_. Have you been a good girl?" he asked, as he sat down next to Ichigo, balancing Véronique in his lap. She nodded happily, clutching at his hair.

"I helped Maman pick Itsygo's clothes!"

"Really?" Grimmjow asked as he glanced at Ichigo. The male sipped on his soda, not realizing that the conversation had shifted to him. Grimmjow took in his appearance, noting how the tight-fitting black v-neck hugged his slim figure. He couldn't really see his pants, but he knew they probably weren't loose. Ichigo had a tendency to wear tight pants, not that Grimmjow was complaining. All in all, from what he could see, it was business as usual for the orange haired teen; he looked fine as hell.

"Maman, do they really have to go to that other place? I want Rin to stay with me," Véronique whined. Nel smiled and shook her head.

"I'm sorry little girl, but they have to go for now." Ichigo's dark-haired younger sister smiled at the small girl on Grimmjow's knee.

"Don't worry, Vé. I'll come back to visit soon." Véronique squealed and wiggled her way out of her uncle's lap. She skipped around the table to where Karin sat and hugged the older girl tightly.

"Speaking of that, have you heard from your dad, Ichi?" Grimmjow asked. Ichigo nodded.

"Earlier. He should be here in another hour or so."

"Good!" Nel chirped, clapping her hands together. "We have enough time to take the girls to the park. C'mon, let's go!" The green-haired woman stood and clasped her daughter's hand in her own. As the two older girls followed, she turned and winked at Grimmjow. Confused, he looked at her inquisitively. She rolled her eyes, and then turned them to Ichigo. He understood then. Her big sister-sense was definitely something else.

"You know, I don't think she paid for this," the teen said, gesturing toward the leftover pizza. Grimmjow chuckled.

"Of course she didn't," he said as he reached for his wallet. He put enough cash in the small folder to cover the bill and a substantial tip for the waitress, and gestured for Ichigo to head for the door. He followed the teen soon after, and the two walked down the sidewalk in comfortable silence. He was shocked when the younger male reached out and took his hand. Ichigo leaned closer to Grimmjow, resting his head on the blue-haired male's shoulder.

"I missed you," he said, softly. Grimmjow smiled, giving the younger male's hand a light squeeze.

"I missed you too, Ichi. I've been thinking about you all day."

"I've been thinking about last night." Ichigo stopped walking abruptly, causing Grimmjow to do the same.

"Wha-?" A heated kiss cut off the older man's inquiry. Grimmjow caught up quickly, maneuvering his tongue into the orange haired male's mouth to explore the wet cavern. They separated after a short while, Ichigo's deep brown eyes shimmering with lust. He pulled himself up to be able to whisper in Grimmjow's ear.

"I want you so bad," he breathed, and the older man found himself shuddering with desire.

"Fuck, Ichi, I want you too." He pulled the teen closer, all but losing it when the orange haired male started to grind against him lickerishly. He let out a sigh, knowing that what they were doing was wrong, no matter how right it felt. He reluctantly pulled himself away from Ichigo, almost chuckling when the teen outright pouted at his action. "Look, I promise you, we're going to get there. You just gotta be patient, alright?" Ichigo loosened up his pout and nodded, allowing Grimmjow to give him a last short, but sweltering kiss.

He let the younger male walk ahead for a bit, to give himself time to reorganize his scattered thoughts. He'd been so close to finding the nearest closed off area and destroying Ichigo. He thanked whatever deity there was out there for stopping that from happening; he did want the boy, that was for certain, but he also wanted their first time together to be more than just frantically rutting against each other in a public area. Call him a sap, but he wanted it to be special; he wanted to take his time and feel every part of Ichigo, and he was sure the teen wanted that too.

Grimmjow let out a deep breath as he started to catch up with Ichigo. This was going to be a long three weeks.

* * *

Ichigo sat with his arms crossed, looking at his father with disappointment. He'd arrived when he said he would, looking a bit worse for wear, but he seemed fine. That had been a few hours ago. Isshin had spent some time with the girls, Renji's mother, Yolanda, made dinner and they ate, and then Ichigo sent them off to see a movie with Yolanda. That's when he'd sat down with his father in the living room almost half an hour before. The man had yet to begin explaining himself, and it was irking the teen to no end.

"Okay, there is a lot that I have to tell you. I'm just trying to figure out the right way to go about it," Isshin said, and Ichigo sighed.

"First things first, I want an apology."

"What?"

"You heard me. You owe me an apology and I want it before you say anything else." Isshin sighed, but he knew he'd been beat. He ran a hand over his face before he spoke.

"I'm sorry, son. I shouldn't have lied and I regret that more than anything. Now can I tell you the reason I did it?" Ichigo relaxed his tense position though he still kept his arms crossed.

"I'm listening."

"First off, I've been seeing someone." The orange-haired male raised an eyebrow.

"Who?"

"Retsu." Ichigo was taken aback to say the least. Retsu Unohana was Ichigo's godmother and his mother's best friend when she was alive. She'd moved to New Mexico a few years back, and he hadn't seen her since, though she still sent him birthday cards every year.

"Really? How?"

"When I said I was going to conferences, sometimes I really was and other times I flew to Albuquerque to see her."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Two years."

"So instead of just telling me that, you chose to lie to me?" Ichigo said, angrily. Isshin put up a hand before the boy's temper got the best of him.

"I'm not going to try to justify that. I'll just say that I wanted to tell you, but Retsu was worried that you'd be angry with her." Ichigo tsked.

"I'm not a baby."

"That brings me to the next thing," Isshin said, scratching the back of his neck. Ichigo drew back in his seat, hoping against hope that his father wasn't about to say what he thought he was about to say.

"You have a younger brother."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot express my apologies for how long this took sufficiently. I am literally so messed up right now, and I don't want to bother you guys with all that, but I do want you to know that I'm not doing this on purpose. I'm fairly certain the only thing I can do correctly right now is cry. So again, I offer my deepest apologies, and I will try to get the next update out the best that I can.


	19. I Need a Vacation (Pt. I)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I took forever to put this up ;-;

**Chapter XIX** **:** _**I Need a Vacation (Pt. I)** _

Ichigo smiled to himself as he packed his clothing into the luggage he'd gotten from Grimmjow the day before. He couldn't believe his eighteenth birthday was finally here. He could feel his whole body tingling with excitement. He couldn't stop smiling; he'd found out from Grimmjow the day before that they'd be going to France to stay at his family's chateau. He didn't have a clue what a chateau was, but he guessed he was going to find out. He was opening another suitcase for his shoes when his bedroom door swung open and he was greeted with Rukia holding a cake.

The insurance settlement for the fire had come rather quick and painless. Isshin was able to lease a nice three bedroom apartment a little closer to the city, but not so far away that Ichigo and his sisters would have to change schools in the fall. Of course Isshin wouldn't be able to just open up a new clinic, so he found a job at the hospital working in the emergency unit. The hours were a bit long and it was different than what he was used to, but he seemed happy.

Ichigo had also spoken to his godmother. She was scared that he would feel like she was betraying him by starting a relationship with his father, but that wasn't the case. Ichigo only felt betrayed because they'd kept their relationship a secret for so long, not to mention the fact that she'd had a baby. Even though he was mad, he couldn't wait to see her and meet his little brother. She had her own practice in Albuquerque, but she'd be closing it at the end of the summer and moving back to Smyrna. Now Ichigo was just waiting for his dad to propose.

"Happy birthday, Ichigo!" He laughed as Rukia entered his room, followed by Renji, Chad, Shinji, and Orihime.

"Thanks guys." He cleared some space on his desk and Rukia sat the cake down, turning and hugging him tightly.

"My little Ichi is all grown up!" Ichigo rolled his eyes but hugged her back nonetheless.

"I really appreciate this," he said, ruffling her hair after she pulled away.

"Well, we can't all afford to fly you off to France, now can we?" she said, cheekily. Ichigo rolled his eyes.

A few days before his birthday, he'd decided to come completely clean about his relationship with Grimmjow, but only to his friends. He was lucky to have such an open-minded group of friends; Renji already knew, but when Shinji heard, he just laughed and said he'd met his "honey" the same way. Ichigo was surprised by that. What were the odds of all of them finding nice, attractive, extremely rich guys on a website like that? They were slim at best, but it happened. Shinji and Renji would be accompanying Ichigo and Grimmjow on their trip to France, along with Nnoitra and Byakuya, who happened to be a good friend of Grimmjow's. Rukia still didn't know about Renji's relationship with her brother, and as far as Ichigo knew, it was going to stay that way. He had no plans to out Renji any time soon. He would tell her himself when he felt like it.

"Yeah, yeah. So, what are your plans for the next two weeks?" Ichigo asked, sitting down on his bed. Rukia and Shinji joined him while the others sat on the floor.

"I'm going to visit my parents in Kyoto. My brother is paying for me to go, even though he said he won't be able to come with me because of some business," Rukia replied. Ichigo smiled to himself as Renji found the carpet very interesting.

"Chad and I are going to the beach with Tatsuki," Orihime chirped, and Chad simply nodded his agreement.

"What about you, Ren?" Rukia asked, and the red-headed male shrugged.

"I'm just gonna stay around here, you know, to watch out for Karin and Yuzu and stuff." Ichigo barely contained his laughter at that. Karin and Yuzu were going to stay with Nel at Grimmjow's estate, though his father didn't know that. He thought they'd be going with him on his "trip to the beach". He couldn't very well have told his dad he was going to Europe with his sugar daddy for two weeks. Renji gave him an acidic glare when he caught sight of him snickering, and so he decided to change the subject.

"How about we have some cake, guys?"

His friends stayed for a couple more hours before he told them he had to get some sleep since he had an early flight. Once they were gone, he showered and got ready for bed. He was just settling in and turning on his television when Karin and Yuzu came in and sat down on his bed.

"What's up?" he asked, making room for them to get comfortable.

"Are you excited for your trip, nii-chan?" Yuzu asked, and Ichigo nodded. She smiled brightly and handed him a gift bag that he hadn't noticed her carrying when she came in. He pulled a stuffed lion out of the bag, and smiled.

"Thank you, Yu." She beamed as Karin handed him a box.

"I got you socks," she said, sarcastically, and he chuckled as he opened the box. It was a 15 charm attached to a chain. "Dad helped me get it."

"Thanks, Rin. You two are so sweet," he said, pulling them both in for a hug.

"Happy birthday, Ichi-nii," the twins said in unison, and he thanked them both.

"Can we sleep with you, nii-chan?" Yuzu asked, giving him the puppy eyes. He turned to see Karin doing the same and he couldn't resist. He nodded, and they all settled in. Soon the twins were sleeping, though he found it hard to do the same. He reached over Karin grabbing his phone from his nightstand. He unlocked it, tapping on the message icon and choosing Grimmjow's name.

**Are you awake?**

He didn't have to wait very long for the answer, and he smiled at the screen, feeling himself blushing as he read the message,

_I am for you._

**I'm sorry to bother you. I can't sleep. I'm too excited.**

_You could never bother me. I can't wait to see you._

Ichigo definitely agreed with that sentiment. Ever since his father had returned, he'd gotten far less time to spend with Grimmjow. He didn't want to risk Isshin finding out about him and getting upset. Knowing his dad, Ichigo assumed he'd do something insane like call the police and have Grimmjow arrested, so he played it safe and told Grimmjow to give him space until his birthday. That was all about to change though.

**I can't wait to see you either. I've missed you so much.**

_I've missed you more. I think about you every day. I can't wait to have you in my arms and to kiss you like crazy._

Ichigo ran a hand over his face unable to fight his blush or wipe away his silly grin. He really couldn't believe he'd found someone so amazing in such a strange way, but he was thrilled that he had. He didn't realize how long he'd taken to reply until he got another message.

_I've got a present for you._

**Oh yeah? I think I know what it is...**

_Very funny. I have an actual present for you though._

**What's that?**

_You'll just have to go to sleep to find out. When you wake up, we'll be together._

Ichigo pouted as he read the message, and he was glad no one could see him doing it. He wanted Grimmjow to tell him what was up, but he knew he wouldn't. He decided to take his advice and go to sleep though, since his eyelids had gotten rather heavy.

**Fine. Goodnight, Grimm.**

_Sleep well._

After he read Grimmjow's text, he locked his phone and put it back on his nightstand. It didn't take long for his eyes to slide closed, and he fell asleep almost instantly, his dreams filled with the gorgeous blue eyes that he'd come to adore.

* * *

Grimmjow looked at his watch as he stood in his parking garage next to his Phantom. It was seven-fifteen, meaning Szayel was thirty minutes late. It wasn't like they'd be missing a flight or anything, because Grimmjow would be using his own private jet to fly them all to France. No, he just hated unpunctuality. He wasn't the only one either.

"Where the hell are they?" Nnoitra asked, utmost agitation present in his voice.

"Ichi just texted me and said they're almost here," Shinji spoke up, and Nnoitra rolled his eye.

"Fucking finally," he grumbled under his breath as the entrance lowered and the black Navigator rolled inside. A few minutes later, Ichigo and his sisters piled out of the truck, the oranget immediately gravitating to Grimmjow.

"I'm so sorry we're late; it's almost impossible to get Karin up, and I didn't set the alarm early enough," he rambled, and Grimmjow found it absolutely adorable. He smiled fondly at him before ruffling his hair.

"Don't worry about it. It's all good; the only one getting fussy was Patchy the Pirate over there," the blue-haired male said, earning a laugh from everyone except his eye-patched friend.

"Too damn early for this shit, Grimm. Where the fuck is the jet?"

"The jet is in the hangar at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and will be there when we get there," Grimmjow answered, sternly, chuckling at his friend's huff. He turned back to Ichigo who looked incredibly confused and adorable.

"Jet?" he asked, and Renji laughed, clapping him on the back.

"Are you even surprised, Ich? Because you really shouldn't be by now," he said, and Ichigo thought about his statement and shook his head.

"Yeah, I don't think I'll ever stop being surprised."

Grimmjow smiled at that, watching the teen bid farewell to his younger sisters. He didn't miss how Ichigo doted on them, making sure to tell them to call him everyday. He honestly found that so cute. Once the girls had been escorted into the mansion by Nel, the couples all piled into their respective cars and started the trip to the airport. They'd been traveling for a few minutes before Ichigo broke the silence between him and Grimmjow.

"Hey, Grimm, um. . ." He trailed off, prompting Grimmjow to reach over and grasp his hand, encouraging him to continue. "I just wanted to thank you, you know, for everything, not just for this trip, though I know it's like ridiculously expensive and I just. . ."

"Ichi, I thought we already talked about this?" Grimmjow questioned, and Ichigo looked down at their entwined fingers before he placed his other hand over them.

"I know, I just. . .I don't want you to think I only want to be around you because of all this stuff." He gestured around himself, and then turned giving Grimmjow a genuine smile that lit up his molten chocolate eyes. "I. . .well, I really like you, Grimmjow. Just you. Okay?"

Grimmjow felt his stomach flip and his heart flutter at the other's words. He knew it was way too early for the L word, but what Ichigo had just said was basically the equivalent. And quite frankly, the fact that Ichigo didn't care about his money only made Grimmjow want to spoil him more. He lifted their hands up to his mouth, brushing his lips across the back of Ichigo's hand.

"That's nice to know, Ichigo. I'm glad you like me, because I really like you too." A smile illuminated the teen's face, and Grimmjow had to shake the urge to stop in the middle of the freeway and kiss him senseless. He couldn't wait to get to France.

The rest of the ride went by in comfortable silence and soon they were arriving at the airport. It wasn't any part of the airport Ichigo had seen before though. He didn't question it though as Grimmjow brought his Phantom to a stop; Ichigo watched from his side mirror as Nnoitra's Escalade pulled up behind them, followed closely by Byakuya's silver Mercedes. Another car pulled up soon thereafter and Ichigo was confused.

"Whose Porsche?"

"Oh, that's Ulquiorra. He couldn't meet at the house because he had to pick his girlfriend up from her job." Ichigo just nodded before he got out of the car along with Grimmjow. He was going to start grabbing his bags when he saw that someone was already doing it for him. He honestly didn't think he'd ever get used to this kind of thing, but all those thoughts left his head when Grimmjow grasped his hand once more, pulling him towards a rather large, rather luxurious jet. He tried not to gape like an idiot as they boarded the plane. It may as well have been a penthouse.

He noted the long, white L-shaped couch along one of the walls; a white love seat was across from the couch and there was a glass coffee table situated over an oriental rug in front of a fireplace.  _Why would you need a fireplace on a plane?_  A large flatscreen television was mounted above said fireplace and the only thing Ichigo thought of was,  _what next, wifi?_

"The wifi password is Véronique, capital V, accent over the first e, okay?" Grimmjow said, as he walked toward a corridor. Ichigo just nodded dumbly, moving over to sit on the astonishingly comfortable couch as the rest of their companions boarded the plane. Nnoitra was loud as ever, saying something about "going the fuck to sleep" before he disappeared down the same corridor that Grimmjow had. Shinji just rolled his eyes before plopping himself down next to Ichigo. Renji and Byakuya came inside next and both headed straight down the corridor; they were followed by a short, fair-skinned male with large green eyes and obsidian hair. An equally diminutive woman with a choppy black bob and steel grey eyes followed before the door was finally shut. She looked around in awe, much like Ichigo had before she sat across from him and Shinji in the love seat.

"I will return shortly," the emerald eyed man said to her, in a quiet even voice. She nodded slowly and he turned to head down the corridor.

_What the fuck is back there?_  Ichigo wondered before his thoughts were interrupted by the woman.

"This is so much. Like I knew it was gonna be a lot but, really?" She gestured toward the fireplace and television, earning a chuckle from Ichigo, who definitely agreed. "I'm Suì-Fēng. Nice to meet you both."

Her tone was friendly, and Ichigo and Shinji both introduced themselves before the three of them fell into a quiet conversation. It wasn't long before Renji returned without Byakuya, sitting down on Ichigo's other side.

"What's back there?" the orange haired male asked as soon as Renji was done introducing himself to Suì-Fēng.

"That's where the bedrooms are," he replied easily. Ichigo raised an eyebrow, and Renji just shrugged. "Bae has one of these too. He let Ruki use it to go to Kyoto."

Shinji found the remote and turned on the television, squealing when he saw the Netflix icon. He immediately turned on  _Orange is the New Black_ with no objections from anyone in the group. Soon, a female voice was pouring through the intercom, giving instructions for take off. Ichigo hadn't noticed before, but the couch had seat belts attached and they all buckled in as they prepared for their ascent.

Once they were safe in the air, Ichigo unbuckled his seatbelt and got up from the couch, finally making his way down the mysterious corridor. There were five doors, and he had no way of knowing which one Grimmjow was behind. He knocked on the first one, but all he heard was a snore. That must've been Nnoitra, because Grimmjow definitely didn't snore like that, or at all for that matter. He was about to knock on the second door when the third opened and the green eyed man from before stepped out.

"If you are looking for Grimmjow, he is in that one," he said, pointing at the door at the end of the corridor. Ichigo muttered a thanks before brushing past and opening the door.

"Grimm?" he called. He stepped into the room, amazed once more at what he saw. In the center of the room was a large king-sized bed on a short platform. Lush white carpet decorated the floor and the walls looked like alabaster. He was sure they weren't actually, but they had a similar aesthetic. Grimmjow appeared from another door, which Ichigo guessed was a bathroom, smiling at the oranget fondly.

"Hey, Ichi. I was just about to come get you. C'mere," he said as he sat down on the bed. Ichigo glided over, sitting down next to Grimmjow and laying his head on his shoulder. "I'm gonna give you your present now."

Ichigo gasped, cupping his hand over his mouth and whispering, "Not on the plane, Grimm." The older man laughed, and shook his head, getting up and stepping into a closet. He came back with a small velvet box and Ichigo almost got really nervous before Grimmjow noticed his constipation face and laughed.

"Relax, Ichi. I'm not proposing to you. . .yet," he added with a wink. Ichigo blushed at that before he took the box and opened it; he was confused for a second. It was a key.

"Um, what does this open?" he asked. Grimmjow chuckled.

"It  _starts_  the engine of your new Camaro," he replied easily. "I can't believe how hard it was to find that year though. Why did you want the 2008 specifically?" Ichigo's eyes widened and he failed to answer the question. Grimmjow. . .bought him. . .a car?

"Grimm, I -" The blue-haired man cut his protest off with a kiss. Ichigo was stunned at first but, it wasn't long before his lips were moving against Grimmjow's and he was releasing a quiet moan into the kiss. They pulled apart and Ichigo's eyes opened slowly to see Grimmjow's smirk.

"I knew what you were gonna say, and I'm not gonna let you say it. I bought it and it's yours, no ifs, ands, or buts about it, alright?" he said, sternly and Ichigo could only nod. He couldn't believe Grimmjow had bought him a car, and not only that, but the car he'd always dreamed of getting. They'd only talked about it once, and he couldn't believe Grimmjow remembered that. He snapped out of his daze, tackling Grimmjow backwards onto the bed, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" They shared a laugh before Ichigo noticed their close proximity. His eyes drifted from Grimmjow's to his lips, but he didn't have to make a move because Grimmjow did it for him. Soon, they were tangled in a heated kiss, their tongues battling for dominance. It was a battle Ichigo had no chance of winning, but he didn't mind at all as Grimmjow flipped them so that he was hovering above the oranget. His lips moved from Ichigo's to his jawline and further down to his neck. Grimmjow reached down to palm the quickly growing problem in Ichigo's pants, causing the other to release a soft moan. "Grimmjow. . ."

The elder pulled away and looked down at Ichigo. He was panting softly, his shirt pulled up slightly revealing his toned abdomen. The bulge in his tight jeans was already prominent, but the thing that turned Grimmjow on even more was the sultry look in Ichigo's pretty brown eyes. They swirled with even more colors, yet somehow they'd also grown darker, and as the teen looked up at him, biting his lower lip, Grimmjow found it hard to restrain himself from taking him right there.

"Grimm, what's wrong?" Ichigo asked, gently, leaning up to run his hand over Grimmjow's chest.

"Nothing, it's just. . .you're so damn gorgeous," he replied with a smile. Ichigo blushed at that, pulling Grimmjow by his shirt and crashing their lips together once more. It wasn't long before he was tugging at the hem of the shirt, prompting Grimmjow to pull away only to remove it before attaching their lips again. It was only when Ichigo started messing with his belt that he snapped out of it, pushing his hand away. "Wait, Ichi."

The other's eyes slid open, confusion mixing itself in with the lust that was already present.

"What is it? You don't want to?" he asked, and Grimmjow shook his head reluctantly.

"I do, but not here. I have something better than this in mind for you," he responded with a sly grin. Ichigo nodded, though he couldn't just ignore the problem he had going on down below. He was about to move away when Grimmjow stopped him. "I didn't say I wouldn't take care of you though."

With that, he brought his hand to the front of those tight, tight jeans, rubbing Ichigo's problem gently. The younger let out a quiet moan before Grimmjow undid the button and worked the pants and boxers down. Ichigo sighed at the relief of being freed from the constrains. He slapped a hand over his mouth when Grimmjow wrapped his hand around his length stroking him gently. There was no way he was letting Shinji and Renji hear him making those noises. They would probably never let it go. He bit his lip to hold back his sounds as he reached for Grimmjow's belt once more. The other let him undo it that time, and he pushed his pants and boxers down just enough for the turgid erection to spring free. He wasted no time in wrapping his hand around it, watching as the blue-haired male's mouth fell open slightly.

"Fuck," he growled under his breath, and Ichigo found it so, so sexy. He increased the pace of his stroking, running his thumb across Grimmjow's tip causing him to jerk forward slightly. "Damn, Ichi, you're so sexy."

"So are you," Ichigo managed to reply before a strangled groan came from his lips and he squirmed underneath the other's touch as he reached his climax. He sat up as soon as he got his bearings, surprising Grimmjow with his strength when he flipped them over. He immediately took Grimmjow into his mouth causing the other to groan loudly. Neither of them cared though, and Ichigo continued to work his mouth over Grimmjow's member. It wasn't long before he was gripping Ichigo's hair trying to pull him away but the other wouldn't budge, staying put as Grimmjow's warm seed spilled into his mouth. He sucked and licked him clean before pulling away and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Shit, that was fucking amazing, Ichi," Grimmjow said once he'd come down from his high and straightened out his clothes. Ichigo just smiled slyly.

"Uh-huh. I trust you'll be making it up to me later though?" he asked, and Grimmjow returned his smile with a devious one of his own.

"Trust," he drawled, reaching over to kiss Ichigo fiercely. He pulled away, fixing him with a lustful stare. "I don't think we can get to Paris fast enough." Ichigo bit his lip.

"My sentiments exactly."


	20. I Need a Vacation (Pt. II)

**Chapter XX** **:** _**I Need a Vacation (Pt. II)** _

When they finally arrived in France, four town cars were waiting in the hangar to take them to their destination. Ichigo was overwhelmed at the splendor that was Grimmjow's life. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to such excess. He was happy to be here with Grimmjow though, sharing his childhood experiences, even if they were very different from his own.

Grimmjow had spent every summer in this chateau, which was a forty bedroom castle a few miles outside of Versailles in a little town called Vélizy-Villacoublay. He'd shown Ichigo around the castle; it was splendid, but then again, Ichigo had never been inside a castle before. Everything about this experience was amazing to him.

Currently, they were walking hand-in-hand through the gilded halls of the palace of Versailles. Ichigo had read about this place in history class, but seeing it in person was a whole other thing entirely. It was like something out of a fantasy book; like the treasure trove of a dragon. He couldn't believe people lived in such an opulent place.

"Hey, Grimm?" Ichigo asked as he looked at a painting of Marie Antoinette. He'd learned about her in history class; he felt sorry for her.

"Yeah, Ichi?"

"Do you really think she said the thing about the cake?"

"No," Grimmjow said, with a chuckle. "No one's that cruel, except maybe Donald Trump."

They continued to stroll through the decadent corridors, occasionally stopping to view art or listen to a guide give an explanation of some history. Ichigo was having a nice time, but needless to say there were other things on his mind.

After what happened on the jet, Grimmjow hadn't tried to initiate anything else. They'd spent a few hours alone together in their suite in the chateau before they left to see Versailles. He supposed it'd be rude of them to just stay cooped up in their room having sex the whole trip, but he was also anxious. He was a hot blooded male after all, and the thought of having sex with Grimmjow was tantalizing to say the very least. Ichigo could hardly contain himself much longer.

He looked at his surroundings after coming out of his thoughts. He was standing in the main hall of the entrance, but he didn't see Grimmjow anywhere.

 _Shit, I'm lost_ , he thought to himself. He tried to keep up with the tour group, to see if it would lead him to Grimmjow. When he had no such luck, he settle for just staying with the group; eventually he and Grimmjow would find each other.

He was walking with the group through one of the main ballrooms, when one of the employees pulled him to the side. He was confused before the taller male spoke,

"Are you Ichigo Kurosaki?" Ichigo nodded in the affirmative. The employee smiled brightly. "Follow me, please."

He turned on his heel and began to walk while Ichigo followed hesitantly. He wasn't sure if it was okay to just be following some strange French guy, just because he knew his name. He'd always been taught that when you're lost it's better to stay put so you'd make yourself easier to find. Maybe Grimmjow had sent the employee to find him though? That was a possibility. He shrugged and caught up with the man, following him through the halls and out of the back exit.

They made their way through the expansive gardens of the estate until they reached one that was closed off for some reason. Ichigo was confused until he saw Grimmjow come out of the entrance, a smug grin on his face.

" _Merci,_ Jean," he said, and the employee bowed slightly before he left. Ichigo glared at Grimmjow who just laughed. "Oh, c'mon, Ichi. Don't be mad."

"I thought I was lost, buttface," Ichigo said as Grimmjow took his hand and pulled him through the entrance. Ichigo gasped when he saw the setup.

The garden was gorgeous, with luscious greenery and beautiful florals. There were small falls of water spilling into a pond so clear that he could see all the way to the bottom of it. Between two of the falls, a picnic was setup with food, candles, and a bouquet of roses. Ichigo turned to Grimmjow, smiling brightly.

"You were planning this all along, weren't you?"

"Duh," Grimmjow replied, earning himself a punch to the arm. He chuckled as he led the younger male to the romantic setup. They sat down and Grimmjow poured them each a glass of champagne. Ichigo sipped on his, frowning at the taste. Grimmjow laughed. "You don't like it?"

"Nah, I've never been much of a drinker," he replied. Grimmjow nodded and they started eating, chatting idly as the time passed. Ichigo was impressed to say the least, but that really wasn't anything new. Grimmjow definitely knew how to put together a romantic setup. He smiled at the older male. "This is amazing, Grimm. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. I'm happy to be here with you." Ichigo blushed, taking another sip of the champagne.

"Why did you choose me?" he asked, suddenly. Grimmjow raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, there were so many other people on that site. Why did you pick me?"

"It was your eyes. They kind of pulled me in. Even now I still think you have the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen. I'm glad I chose you, and I'm glad you chose me too." Ichigo smiled once more and leaned over, connecting his lips with Grimmjow's. Thier kiss was slow and gentle, and full of what Ichigo could only describe as love. He knew he wasn't ready to say that though; he wasn't sure if Grimmjow was ready to hear it either. He pulled away from the older male, looking into his radiant blue eyes.

"I'm glad I chose you too, Grimm."

* * *

Once they returned to the estate, Ichigo spent some time with his friends and Ulquiorra's girlfriend. Suì-Fēng was nice, but she didn't seem like the type of person Ulquiorra would be interested in. In fact, from what Ichigo had seen of the pale, somber man, he didn't really seem like he'd be interested in anyone, but he supposed love was a strange thing; Grimmjow was interested in him after all. He hung out with Renji, Shinji, and Suì-Fēng until dinner. Throughout the meal, Ichigo could feel Grimmjow's eyes on him. He felt butterflies in his stomach; he knew why Grimmjow was watching him so intently, and he had to admit that there was just as much excitement feeding those butterflies as there was anxiety.

When dinner was over, Grimmjow took Ichigo's hand and led him through their wing of the chateau. He opened the door to the bedroom suite and Ichigo gasped. The room was decorated with black candles that gave off a vanilla fragrance and red rose petals were strewn throughout the room, even on the bed. He couldn't even say he was surprised. Then again, maybe he could; Grimmjow didn't seem like they kind of guy to come up with such romantic gestures.

Ichigo was interrupted from his gawking at the setup, by Grimmjow turning him to face him. He cupped Ichigo's face in his hands, leaning down and kissing him softly. Ichigo's eyes slid shut as his tongue moved with Grimmjow's in the slow, sensual kiss. Grimmjow started to walk him backwards, and a quiet gasp left Ichigo's lips as his back landed against soft silk sheets and rose petals. His eyes were lidded and darkened with lust as he looked at the gorgeous man crawling towards him on the bed. Grimmjow smiled as he hovered over the younger oranget, and Ichigo cupped the blue-haired male's face in his hands, bringing their lips back together gently. His hands moved from Grimmjow's face to his shoulders and then to his chest where he gripped the fabric of the older male's shirt tightly. Grimmjow's tongue slid into Ichigo's mouth, mapping out each crevice as if committing them to memory.

Ichigo felt his hands shaking as he began to undo the buttons of Grimmjow's shirt, but he wasn't sure if it was from nervousness or excitement; maybe it was a mixture of both. After all this time, he was finally going to do the thing that he was supposed to be doing for Grimmjow all along. The fact that Grimmjow had been willing to wait this long was even more attractive to Ichigo, and he smiled into the kiss as he pushed Grimmjow's now undone shirt off his broad shoulders. Grimmjow pulled away from the kiss, staring down into Ichigo's eyes.

"You're so beautiful," he said, brushing the orange bangs away from the brown eyes. A pretty pink blush spread across Ichigo's high cheekbones.

"So are you," the oranget replied softly.

"Are you ready?" Grimmjow asked as he undid the button on Ichigo's tight pants. Ichigo nodded, lifting his hips to allow Grimmjow to pull off the pants along with his underwear. The blunet leaned down, capturing Ichigo's lips as he began to stroke the younger's semi-hard erection. Ichigo moaned softly into the kiss, his senses overwhelmed by the stimulation Grimmjow was giving him along with the wonderful smells of the roses and candles.

Grimmjow's lips moved from Ichigo's to the younger's neck, trailing kisses along his jawline and up to his ear. His fingers moved through Grimmjow's soft blue hair as he turned his head to allow the older man more access. The blue-haired male's kisses went lower and lower until he was ghosting his lips over Ichigo's Adonis lines. Ichigo's breaths turned short and choppy as Grimmjow began to place light kisses along his hips, traveling down to his inner thighs.

"Grimm. . ." the orange-haired male whispered. His partner looked up at him. "Please don't tease me. Don't you think we've both waited long enough?"

The older male smiled and nodded slightly, leaning down and taking Ichigo's semi-hard erection into his mouth. Ichigo wasn't expecting that, so his back immediately arched, and he moaned rather loudly. Luckily they had a whole wing of the chateau to themselves so he didn't have to worry about being quiet. He gripped a handful of Grimmjow's soft blue hair as the other male's head bobbed up and down enthusiastically. Ichigo's legs started to shake, and Grimmjow pulled away.

"Don't get too excited now, Ichi. We haven't even gotten to the best part." Ichigo glared at Grimmjow, and he laughed. He reached over to the nightstand, retrieving a condom and a small bottle of lube. Ichigo watched as Grimmjow coated the first three fingers of his right hand with the clear liquid. He bit his lip in anxiety; he'd talked to Renji and Shinji about this, so he already knew it was going to hurt. Knowing it didn't make him any less nervous though. He watched as Grimmjow leaned back down, taking his member into his mouth once more. His eyes slid shut, and he almost didn't notice it when Grimmjow slipped the first of his three fingers inside him. Almost. He hissed slightly at the burning sensation, but it wasn't too bad. Grimmjow added the second finger and started to scissor them, continuing to stimulate Ichigo with his mouth.

The oranget whispered something under his breath that seemed like Japanese. Grimmjow raised an eyebrow at this, but ignored it and added his third and final finger to the other two. Ichigo groaned, back arching and hips moving slightly to meet the movements of Grimmjow's fingers.

" _Onegai_ ," Ichigo whispered, his eyelids heavy as he looked down at Grimmjow. The blue-haired male pulled away, sitting back on his haunches and tearing open the condom. He rolled it on to his turgid length, using his still slick fingers to coat himself. He looked down at Ichigo who gave him slight nod, before he pressed himself inside of Ichigo's tight entrance. Ichigo gasped, squeezing his eyes shut. Grimmjow leaned down, pressing his lips against the other's in a gentle kiss before he started to move.

Ichigo grabbed Grimmjow's biceps as the larger male began to move in and out of him faster. The pain had started to dull and was becoming something much more satisfying. He watched the expression on Grimmjow's face; the blue-haired male's eyes were shut and he bit his lip, brows furrowed as he picked up his pace even more. He shifted his hips slightly, pressing against that one spot inside Ichigo, causing the orange-haired male to moan loudly. He held on to Grimmjow tightly as the larger male began to increase his pace even more.

"Oh, fuck, Grimmjow," Ichigo groaned, tangling his fingers in the soft blue hair and tugging. Grimmjow leaned down to kiss him, nipping at his kiss-swollen lips.

"You feel so good, Ichi," he murmured against Ichigo's lips.

"You do too. Please, more,  _Grimmjow-sama_."

Grimmjow sat back on his haunches, pulling Ichigo up with him and maintaining his quick yet steady pace. Ichigo cried out before he wrapped his arms around Grimmjow's shoulders, burying his face in the blue-haired male's neck. He'd imagined what this would feel like many times, but none of his fantasies could hold a candle up to the real thing. The feeling of Grimmjow's strong arms around him as he thrusted in and out of him was overwhelming, and he fought to keep his breathing normal so he wouldn't pass out. Grimmjow reached between them to stroke Ichigo's erection, and the orange-haired male lost it all over again. His mouth fell open but nothing came out as his nails dug into Grimmjow's shoulders creating small crescent shapes in his tanned flesh. The blunet hissed at the slight pain but didn't lose his rhythm. He leaned forward, sinking his teeth into Ichigo's neck, not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to have the oranget nearly screaming in ecstasy.

Ichigo's body shook as he fought for his breath. He was starting to feel that familiar sensation in his pelvis and he held on to Grimmjow, moaning the other man's name as his release spilled between them. Grimmjow returned him to his initial position, thrusting into him quickly, finishing with a grunt soon after. He leaned down, kissing Ichigo's lips, and Ichigo wrapped his arms around him, returning the kiss with fervor. Grimmjow pulled out of Ichigo, getting up to dispose of the soiled condom. Once he returned, Ichigo looked like he was fighting sleep. He smiled as he climbed back into the bed with the oranget, looking into his drowsy brown eyes.

"Don't tell me you're conking out already, Ichi," he teased, and Ichigo yawned, reaching up to give Grimmjow a lazy kiss.

"Gimme a break, Grimm. It's been kind of a busy day, don't you think?"

"I suppose."

Grimmjow laid back against the pillows and let Ichigo curl up against his side. As the younger male's breathing began to even out, he ran his fingers through the thick orange locks, thinking about how strong his feelings were. He couldn't recall ever feeling this way about anyone he'd been with. Wasn't that something? A kid twelve years younger than him with obnoxious hair and a bad temper had stirred up feelings in him that he'd never experienced before. As he looked down at Ichigo's peaceful sleeping face, he felt all his feeling welling up, until they spilled like an overflowing sink in the form of words.

"I love you."

* * *

Ichigo yawned and stretched as he made his way through the chateau. He wasn't exactly tired; in fact he couldn't remember the last time he'd slept so well. Grimmjow had woken him up a little while after he'd fallen asleep and proceeded to end his life with world-shattering sex. Not that he was complaining, but five times in one night seemed a little excessive. He sighed as he crossed through the kitchen and opened the sliding door that led out to the terrace. Shinji and Renji were already there, the former smiling slyly and causing Ichigo to roll his eyes.

"Well, well, well. How nice of you to join us, Ichi-poo," Shinji chided as Ichigo sat down - extremely carefully - across from him at the table that was set for breakfast. "I know it must've been rather difficult for you to make it all the way here."

"Shinji, if you don't shut up, I will fight you right here, right now," Ichigo grumbled, and Shinji along with Renji laughed boisterously. Their counterparts had yet to arrive to the breakfast table, so Shinji felt it was the perfect time to terrorize his best friend.

"So, on a scale of one to 'I cried', how bomb was the dick?" he asked, and Ichigo rolled his eyes, before he smirked.

"Where does 'I still can't feel my legs' fall?" Shinji and Renji hooped and hollered as the door to the terrace slid open and Byakuya came to sit next to Renji.

"I knew you was finna get dicked all the way down," Shinji said, and Ichigo laughed at that, especially when he saw the slightly uncomfortable look on Byakuya's face.

They continued to chat until the other members of their party joined them, all except Grimmjow. The blue-haired male had been gone ever since Ichigo woke up. He'd instructed one of the chambermaids to run Ichigo a bath, and he'd left a note saying that he had to take care of something. Ichigo hoped that that was all; he really didn't think he could handle any more surprises. First the car, then the surprise lunch in Versailles, then the best sex ever had by anyone; what was next, a fucking marriage proposal? God, he hoped not. He wouldn't want to, but he was sure he would have to fight the older man for springing some shit like that on him.

The maids started bringing the food out and spreading it on the table and Grimmjow still wasn't present. Ichigo was starting to get worried. What could the other man possibly be doing? He was about to get his phone out to text Grimmjow when the blue-haired male came through the door, smiling at him. Ichigo smiled back as Grimmjow crossed the terrace to him, leaning down to kiss him. He wasn't embarrassed about kissing Grimmjow in front of everyone until Shinji started making 'oooooooh' noises. Ichigo pulled away from Grimmjow, glaring at his friend.

"Shin, if you could not, that'd be great."

"I'm sorry, y'all are just so cute!" the blond said, grinning. Ichigo blushed slightly, turning his attention back to Grimmjow.

"Where were you?" he asked. He didn't want to seem nosy, but he was curious as to what the other man had been up to all morning.

"Just taking care of some business. Nothing crazy or illegal," Grimmjow responded. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a rock," the oranget replied. Shinji chuckled.

"Yeah, I hear good dick will do that for you." Ichigo picked up a croissant and threw it at Shinji's head.

"If you say one more thing, I'm gonna pop you."

The rest of breakfast went without any more incidents and afterwards, Grimmjow and Ichigo walked through one of the gardens on the Jaegerjaquez estate. Ichigo admired Grimmjow's handsome features as they strolled hand in hand. He didn't think it was time to spill the 'L' word, but he knew he felt it. It wasn't just because they'd had sex; he'd felt this way about Grimmjow for quite some time. He just wasn't sure about the appropriate time to say it. He didn't want to make things uncomfortable between them if Grimmjow didn't feel the same way. Then again, the blunet had to feel something for him, right? He wouldn't be doing all this stuff for him if he didn't would he?

"Ichigo?" Grimmjow said, stopping them from walking and interrupting Ichigo's thoughts. The oranget looked up at the taller male, brown eyes portraying his confusion. "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" the younger asked. Grimmjow cleared his throat, scratching at the back of his head.

"I don't know how you're gonna take this. . ."

"Just spit it out, Grimm."

"I. . ."

" _Monsieur_ , you have a phone call," a maid called from the garden gate. Grimmjow turned to her frowning.

"I'll be there in a minute," he said, before he turned back to Ichigo. He looked into the oranget's big brown eyes for a while before he leaned down, capturing his lips in a kiss full of feelings that Ichigo couldn't describe. When he pulled away, Ichigo found himself missing his touch instantly. Grimmjow touched Ichigo's cheek gently. "I'll be back soon."

Ichigo nodded and sat down on one of the marble benches as he watched Grimmjow walk away. He wouldn't want to assume things, but he had a feeling that he knew exactly what Grimmjow had been about to say before he was interrupted. He smiled to himself as he thought about it. Maybe he didn't have to worry so much after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so let me just say that I am so, so, so, so sorry that this took so long. I kind of lost my confidence about this story because I got this really bad review on it, and I feel bad for making you guys wait so long because I don't know how to deal with criticism. I know it's not an excuse, but I hope you all can forgive me. I am going to try my very best to not let this happen again, but I have a lot of problems when it comes to stuff like that. Not saying that I don't like constructive criticism, but I don't know how to process it. Instead of working to do better, I kinda just sit and think about how stupid I am because I didn't do it perfectly on the first try. It's a vicious cycle. But you guys don't have to worry about that, and I'm sorry again. I hope you all can find this mushy mess of a chapter entertaining. I love all of you very much. Thanks for sticking by me.


	21. I Need Honesty

**Chapter XXI: _I Need Honesty_**

Ichigo watched with his sisters as their father's car pulled into one of the parking spaces designated for their apartment. He was returning from the airport where he'd picked up their godmother and half-brother. He watched from the window as Isshin got out of the car followed by Retsu. Isshin grabbed some suitcases from the trunk, while Retsu opened the back passenger door and pulled out a car seat. Ichigo decided to stop watching then, and he told his sisters to wait while he made his way through the apartment and out the door. Once he made it outside, he greeted his father and godmother.

"Hey, guys. Glad you made it safe, Aunt Retsu." He reached out and wrapped an arm around her. She kissed his cheek and smiled up at him.

"It's so good to see you. You've grown into quite the dashing young man. Where are the twins?"

"They're inside. I came out to help you guys bring your stuff in."

"Alright. There's more of the baby's things in the backseat, if you don't mind grabbing them."

"Not at all."

He went around to the backseat and grabbed all the things there, two diaper bags, a box of Huggies, and another bag full of baby care items. He went to the trunk and grabbed the last duffle bag, and waited for his father to push down the trunk before they all headed back up to their floor. Ichigo called out for the girls to opened the door, and Yuzu complied, allowing the older people into the apartment. Ichigo dropped everything he was carrying in the living room. Yuzu had nearly attacked Retsu, trying to get a peek at her little brother, whose car seat was covered with a blanket to protect him from the Atlanta heat.

"Yuzu, let Aunt Retsu sit down first," Ichigo said, and Yuzu pouted, but allowed her godmother to sit down nonetheless. Once she did, she peeled the blanket back, revealing the sweet, sleeping face of their nine-month-old baby brother.

"Awww, he's the cutest thing ever!" Yuzu proclaimed, dropping to her knees beside the car seat. Ichigo had to agree.

The baby boy's head was full of curly pitch black hair, his plump cheeks painted with a light pink tint. His hands were balled into tight fists until Yuzu prodded at one of the little hands and he wrapped his fingers around her pinky. He stirred a little more in his sleep before his eyes opened and Ichigo smiled.

"I told you, Ichigo," Isshin said, softly. "He's got your eyes."

Ichigo couldn't help but to feel a swell of happiness in his heart. It'd been a while since he'd had the opportunity to hold a baby; he hadn't done so since his little sisters were small, and he himself was only five years old at the time. He was so excited he thought his heart might burst.

"Is it alright if I hold him?" he asked Retsu. She nodded, smiling sweetly.

"Of course."

Ichigo sat down cross-legged on the floor while Retsu removed the baby from his car seat. She gingerly placed him in Ichigo's arms, and the oranget took care to hold the baby as gently as possible, cradling his head and smiling. Karin and Yuzu came to sit on either side of him, holding the baby's hands and stroking his hair.

"You never told us his name, Auntie," Karin said, and Retsu shared a look with Isshin, who gave her a nod.

"Your father and I decided to name him Masaki, in honor of your mother. We haven't formally filled out his birth certificate though. We were waiting to tell you, in case you all didn't approve."

Ichigo bit his lip as he looked down at his baby brother's toothless grin. He knew that some people would be mad in this situation, but he could only bring himself to feel extreme happiness. He was happy that Retsu was able to make his father smile again, and he was happy to have a new member of their family. As for naming the baby after his mother, he didn't mind that either. The name suited him.

"I don't mind. How about you two?" he asked his sisters. The two girls shook their heads, and Ichigo gave his attention back to his little brother. "That settles it then. Welcome home, Masaki."

Later that evening, the family shared a meal prepared by Yuzu and the younger girls were sent off to their room to allow the adults the chance to have a proper discussion about their living arrangements. Ichigo also felt it was time he came clean about the fact that he had a boyfriend. He and Grimmjow had made things official not too long after their trip to France, and he still hadn't told his father for obvious reasons. He wasn't sure how the man would react first to him dating another man and second to said man being twelve years older than him. Grimmjow had celebrated his thirtieth birthday on their last day in France. Ichigo was hoping his father wouldn't have an adverse reaction to his relationship, so he decided to withhold some information; he wouldn't be outright lying, he just wouldn't be telling the whole truth either.

He held his baby brother in his lap as he looked at the two older adults across from him.

"So exactly how long were you guys planning to keep this a secret?" he asked, and Isshin gave Retsu a look, causing the woman to sigh.

"I'm sorry, Ichi, but that was my fault. Your father wanted to tell you from the beginning, but I just. . .I just didn't want you all to dislike me."

"We could never dislike you, Auntie. Don't be ridiculous. We all still miss Mom very much, but it's been nearly ten years. It's good to see Dad happy and with someone familiar. And we can't forget how happy we are about this little guy," Ichigo said, smiling down at his brother, who took his finger and gnawed on it.

"Well, I'm glad I can make your father happy too, and I hope to do the same for you and your sisters. I know I can't ever replace Masaki, and I don't want to; I just want you all to know that I love you all very much, and I want us to be a family," Retsu said, taking Isshin's hand. He smiled at her and brushed his lips across her knuckles.

"I'm glad to hear that," Ichigo said. "Now I have something I need to tell both of you."

"What's that, son?" Isshin asked. Ichigo bit his lip and held on to his little brother's hand.

"Well, I might as well come out and say it. Dad and Auntie, I have a boyfriend." There was a moment of silence before his father chuckled. Ichigo raised an eyebrow as he observed his father.

"You thought I didn't know?" Isshin asked.

"Well, I never told you, so I assumed. . ."

"Just because you hadn't said anything didn't mean I couldn't figure things out for myself. Honestly for awhile I thought you might be asexual; I mean you're always surrounded by beautiful people but you'd never showed any interest in either gender."

"Dad, c'mon. You couldn't have actually expected me to see my friends that way," Ichigo said, with a roll of his eyes. Isshin just laughed him off.

"Your mother and I were good friends before we decided to become romantically involved."

"Yeah, well, I'm not you. Anyway, my boyfriend's name is Grimmjow and I'm going to visit him for a while tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"Sure. I mean, you're eighteen now, but still remember to respect the house rules. If you're gonna stay over, call, and if you're coming home, make it at a respectful hour," his dad responded. Ichigo nodded and handed his brother off to his mother. "Oh, and Ichigo?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to meet this boyfriend of yours at your earliest convenience." Ichigo nodded once more before he headed to his room to get ready for bed.

* * *

Grimmjow opened the door, revealing the smiling face of his shorter boyfriend. He returned the smile and leaned down, pressing his lips against the other's in a gentle kiss. Once they pulled away from each other, Ichigo made his way into the penthouse, nodding slightly at Tier, who returned the gesture with a slight inclination of her own head.

"I'm gonna grab some stuff and then we'll go to the estate, alright?" Grimmjow asked, and Ichigo nodded. Grimmjow kissed his cheek before he left for his bedroom.

Ichigo sat down on the couch adjacent to the armchair where Tier sat. The tension in the room was thick for obvious reasons. Ichigo still wasn't one hundred percent comfortable with Tier living in Grimmjow's house, but with her steadily progressing pregnancy and her questionable health, he couldn't bring himself to complain about it. It would only make him seem like a petty, jealous boyfriend, and he honestly didn't want to be that person.

"You can relax, you know," Tier said, bringing him out of his thoughts. He glanced over at her. She hadn't looked up from her phone, but she continued speaking. "You don't have to be on your guard all the time. I'm not gonna try to assassinate you or something."

"Uh, I'm sorry, I just. . .don't really know what to say." Tier looked up then, somewhat smirking at the oranget, and he was shocked, seeing as it was the first sign of something other than stoicism that he'd seen on her face. Her green-blue eyes sparkled, and he knew if she ever smiled she'd be even more beautiful than she already was.

"How about 'hello, Tier, how are you?' And then I'll say, 'I am well, Ichigo, thank you for asking', and then we proceed to have a conversation like two adults?" Ichigo laughed at her way too formal tone, but he'd admit that it made him a lot more comfortable.

"So, how are you, Tier?" he asked, and she sighed, placing a hand on her belly.

"Well, my ankles are swollen to the size of pomegranates and all the cocoa butter in the world isn't helping with these stretch marks, and I already had hella titties before this, but my god, look at these monstrosities!" she lamented, grabbing her breasts which seemed quite larger than they had been. Ichigo frowned.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Kill me," she said, rubbing her temple. Ichigo laughed at that and she smiled, and he was right; she was stunning when she did so. After the quiet returned, Ichigo decided to ask her a question that'd been weighing heavily on his mind.

"Tier?" She looked at him to indicate that she was listening for his inquiry. "I don't want to seem like I'm jealous or anything, because I'm not, but. . .are you still in love with Grimmjow?" Tier frowned, biting her lip.

"You know, if you want honesty, which I'm guessing you do, I was never really in love with Grimmjow. I had very strong affection for him, probably the strongest I've ever had for anyone, but. . .it just didn't have that fire, you know? I haven't felt that with anyone, so no. You don't have anything to worry about."

Ichigo released a breath he didn't know he was holding, and Tier chuckled slightly, standing up from her seat and walking into the kitchen. Grimmjow returned from his bedroom a few minutes later, gesturing for Ichigo to follow him.

"Tier, Szayel will be here soon to take you to your appointment," Grimmjow said, as they headed for the door. Tier stepped from the kitchen then, sipping from a glass of water.

"Oh? I thought you'd want to come to this one."

"Why's that?"

"Because I'm going to find out the sex today."

Grimmjow seemed surprised before he looked at Ichigo. The oranget wondered why exactly the other man was looking at him as if asking for permission.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Do you mind if I go?" Grimmjow asked, and Ichigo gave him a confused look.

"Why are you asking for permission? It's your baby, Grimm."

"I know, but we had plans. . ."

"Babe, your house will more than likely still be there when you're done. It's not a big deal. I'll be here when you get back."

"Or you can come with us," Tier piped up. Ichigo looked at her skeptically. She rolled her eyes and turned to Grimmjow. "He's coming. Now, both of you hurry up, before you make me late."

Ichigo was surprised, but he didn't say anything as he followed Grimmjow and Tier out of the apartment. They headed for the parking garage and piled into Grimmjow's Phantom. Tier was about to climb in the back, but Ichigo insisted she sit in the front. She protested for a while but eventually gave in, and they drove to Tier's doctor. Ichigo sat next to Grimmjow in the waiting area while Tier went to check-in. The blue-haired male seemed extremely nervous, and Ichigo reached out and grasped his hand. Grimmjow relaxed visibly before he turned and faced Ichigo.

"Thanks, Ichi."

"Don't worry so much, Grimm. Everything is going to be just fine." Grimmjow nodded, and Ichigo decided to continue talking to him to help ease his anxiety. "Have you thought about names yet?"

"Yeah, actually. If it's a boy, I want to name him after my father, Gerard, and if it's a girl, I'd like to name her after my grandmother who died when I was nineteen, Felicity. She was very important to Nel and me."

Ichigo smiled. "I like both of those names. I'm sure whatever the baby is, they'll be healthy and happy. You're gonna be a great dad."

Grimmjow squeezed Ichigo's hand slightly before he leaned over to place a soft kiss on the younger male's lips. "Thanks, baby. I don't know if I've said this before, but I'm so glad to have you."

"I'm glad to have you too, Grimm."

"Aww, you two are so sweet, please stop. My gag reflex is highly active as of late," Tier said as she sat down on Grimmjow's other side. The two males laughed at her feigned discomfort before they fell into a comfortable conversation.

Ichigo had to admit that he was surprised at Tier's amiable attitude, since she'd been rather unfriendly when they first met. As of late, he'd actually found her company somewhat tolerable, if not enjoyable. She didn't seem like such a terrible person, even though some of the things she'd done weren't exactly rooted in benevolence. Now that they'd gotten past whatever it was that was making her act so rudely towards him, he could say that he'd maybe consider her a friend. That'd be for her to decide though.

About twenty minutes later, a nurse stepped from the back and called Tier's name. She and Grimmjow stood and Ichigo stayed seated, deciding he wouldn't intrude on something that was really Grimmjow's personal business. Tier had said it was alright for him to come, but he still didn't feel like it was right, so he stayed. Grimmjow kissed him before he followed the nurse and Tier to the back.

Being alone gave Ichigo the time to think. Although he didn't really have much reason to, he still worried about how his relationship with Grimmjow would fair. He'd been told by many that he was mature for his age, but the fact still remained that Ichigo was a lot younger than Grimmjow. While it wasn't currently an issue, that didn't guarantee that it wouldn't become one in the future. They had to think about how their families would react, and while that shouldn't be a deciding factor, Ichigo could tell that Grimmjow's parents were important to him. He also still wasn't exactly sure how his own father and soon-to-be stepmother would react to him dating a man so much older than him. Ultimately, he was going to have to be honest with them, especially since his father had already requested a meeting with Grimmjow. There was also the lingering worry that Grimmjow would get tired of him. The blue-haired male had told his younger lover on numerous occasions that that wouldn't ever happen, but Ichigo couldn't get the thought out of his mind. He wondered if Grimmjow would be ashamed of their relationship, or if his parents would disapprove and try to force Grimmjow to break up with him. Granted, Grimmjow was a grown ass man, but parental approval played a part in all relationships whether the couple accepted it or not.

All of this thinking was making Ichigo feel nauseated. He decided the only proper thing to do was talk to Grimmjow about his thoughts. Honesty is always the best policy.


	22. I Need Disclosure

**Chapter XXII** **:** _**I Need Disclosure** _

Grimmjow rubbed his hands against his thighs as he looked around at the bland eggshell white walls of the examination room. He could feel Tier's eyes on him, and it only added to his anxiety. He hated doctor's offices to start, and to finish, he was nervous about finding out the sex of his child. Once he saw the baby on that monitor, it would be real. It already was, but he'd actually have tangible evidence that his life was about to change forever.

"Grimmjow, can you do us both a favor and relax? You're making me itch," Tier finally said, her tone only moderately irritated. Grimmjow looked at her with a frown, but she just stuck her tongue out at him, returning her attention to her phone. Grimmjow decided to take his own phone out, responding to his nosey sister's incessant messages that gratefully hadn't bothered him since he set his conversation with her to do not disturb. They passed the time in silence and Grimmjow's anxiety ebbed. He was just starting to relax when there was a knock on the door. The doctor walked in, smiling at the both of them.

"Hello, Ms. Harribel, I'm Dr. Washington. I'm going to examine you before the ultrasound tech comes in, alright?" Tier nodded and the doctor crossed the room to sanitize and retrieve a pair of gloves. "Would you like for him to leave."

"No," Tier answered, smirking. "He's seen it all already." Grimmjow rolled his eyes and shifted in his seat.

"And I presume this is the father of the baby?"

"Yes."

"I bet you're excited about finding out the sex," Dr. Washington said, turning her attention to Grimmjow. The blue-haired male felt himself becoming anxious all over again, so he kept quiet and just nodded his response. "Well, I'll try to be quick."

Grimmjow distracted himself with his phone while the doctor examined Tier. She was right about him being excited; he couldn't seem to calm down in fact. He focused on answering texts from Nel and Ichigo, zoning out and not listening to the idle chit chat between Tier and the doctor. Eventually, the examination was over and the doctor left the two of them alone in the room again. It wasn't long before there was another knock on the door and the ultrasound technician walked in. She smiled pleasantly at Grimmjow and Tier.

"Hello my name is Nanao Ise and I'll be your ultrasound tech today. How are you doing Ms. Harribel?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Tier responded. Nanao turned her attention to Grimmjow then.

"And you, Mr. . .?"

"Jaegerjaquez. And I'm good."

"Well that's good to hear. I know you're both very excited to be finding out the sex of your child today so I'll make this quick." With that, she got to work. Grimmjow wasn't entirely sure what exactly he was watching happen, but he resigned to just be patient and wait for the picture to show up on the screen.

Nanao's hands moved expertly as she worked, spreading the cool gel onto Tier's protruding belly. The green-eyed woman grimaced slightly at the strange sensation. Her face relaxed as Nanao began to rub the device against her skin. Grimmjow watched the screen anxiously, waiting for something to happen. After a few minutes, he saw something. He saw his baby.

"There we go," Nanao said, her voice somewhat soothing to Grimmjow. "Now let's see what we have here." She continued to move the device around on Tier's belly, a look of concentration on her face. Grimmjow bit his lip, watching the screen with intent. After a few more minutes, Nanao let out a sigh. Grimmjow couldn't tell if it was a good or bad sign.

"What is it?" Tier asked, taking the words right out of Grimmjow's mouth.

"You're having a girl."

Grimmjow let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He felt himself smile before he stood up and made his way to the available side of Tier's bed. He looked at the monitor, the picture of his baby - his little girl - making his heart ache with happiness. She was alive and well and she was real.

"Do you have a name for her?" Nanao asked.

Grimmjow nodded and responded with a smile, "Felicity Charisse."

* * *

Ichigo sat quietly in the waiting area, messing around on his phone. He was a bit anxious, though he couldn't say why. It wasn't like he was waiting to find out the sex of his own baby. Although, in a way, he felt like he was. Grimmjow was his boyfriend, the man he had very strong feelings for. Was it the right time to say "the man he _loved_ "? He still wasn't sure. In his heart he knew his feelings for the older man ran very deep, but it was a big step to say those three words, and he wasn't certain if the time was appropriate. He didn't want to run the risk of scaring the man off with a premature confession. He sighed. This was giving him a headache.

Luckily he received a distraction from his thoughts in the form of a text message. He looked at his phone's screen in confusion. The number on the screen was unsaved; he took care to save numbers to avoid situations like this, that's why he was so confused. He didn't recall giving out his number to anyone as of recent. He tapped the message thread, reading the message to himself:

_I've got something for you_

His frown deepened as he tried to figure out what that was supposed to mean. When he came up without an answer, he decided it was best to just ask.

**I'm sorry, but who is this? And what do you mean?**

_A friend. And I mean this..._

Ichigo waited for clarification as to what that was supposed to mean. His clarification came soon enough in the form of photographs. His eyes widened as he looked at them. The first was a photo of him in the park with Nelliel and Véronique. It was from about a week before his trip to France. The next photo was one of him getting into the Navigator. Another photo came then of him with Grimmjow at a restaurant on one of their date nights. The last photo was the one that unsettled him the most. It was a photo of him and Tier in Grimmjow's living room earlier that day. It looked like it'd been zoomed in, so he could only presume it'd been taken across from the penthouse. He covered his gaping mouth; he couldn't believe what was happening right then. Someone was stalking him.

He took a moment to collect his thoughts and gripped his phone in both hands, his thumbs working furiously over the on-screen keyboard.

**Who are you and how did you get these photos of me? I refuse to accept any riddles or beating around the bush. You tell me who you are and what you want right now.**

The response came promptly, and Ichigo glared at the screen,

_Like I said before, I'm a friend. I'm only showing you this because I want you to know a little bit of what I know. I know everything though. And when I say that, I mean EVERYTHING. So watch your back, Ichigo. Because I'm coming for you._

**Bullshit! You didn't tell me anything. I want to know exactly who you are right now!**

He waited and waited, but no response came. He could feel his heart about to beat out of his chest. He couldn't believe this was happening. How could he have been so careless and unobservant? He didn't have time to think about it anymore as Grimmjow and Tier returned to the waiting area, making their way towards him. He took a few deep breaths, grateful that neither of the two had noticed how shaken he was. Grimmjow smiled at Ichigo as he approached and the oranget returned it as best as he could.

"It's a girl!" the blue-haired male said, excitement dripping from every syllable of his statement.

"That's great!" Ichigo said, glad that his voice came out normal. He wasn't fooling Tier though, as he saw her looking at him strangely. He smiled at her. "What's up?"

"You look a little pale. Are you okay?" she asked. Ichigo nodded, but she still gave him an 'I don't believe that' look. She dropped the subject nonetheless, and Ichigo almost let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, let's go home," Grimmjow said, too excited to even notice the change in Ichigo's demeanor.

Ichigo stood from his seat and began to follow Grimmjow and Tier out of the doctor's office. Just as they were heading out the door, his phone vibrated. He looked at the screen, another message from the unsaved number there. He opened it, feeling the color drain from his face. It was another photo, a photo of him, Grimmjow, and Tier walking through the door of the doctor's office. He looked around almost frantically, but he couldn't see anything or anyone suspicious. His phone vibrated once again, and he wasn't sure how much more of this he could handle.

_Have a nice day, Ichigo. I'll be watching you._

* * *

Ichigo's anxiety only increased; he periodically received photos of him with Grimmjow throughout the rest of the day. He thought about blocking the number, but honestly what would that solve? There would still be someone stalking him, he just wouldn't know what the stalker saw. This was a lot to deal with, but he didn't want to bother Grimmjow. The man had enough on his plate as it stood. He sighed; he was too young to be dealing with shit like this.

"What's with all the sighing today?" Renji asked. Ichigo looked at his best friend, hoping against hope that the redhead would figure out that he didn't want to talk about it. No such luck though, as Renji just returned his look with an expectant one.

"Fine," Ichigo sighed once again. "But if I tell you this you have to promise to keep your big mouth shut."

"My lips are sealed."

Ichigo found that hard to believe, but nevertheless he pulled out his phone and showed the messages to Renji. The redhead's tattooed eyebrows were furrowed, a very serious expression etched into his features. It was one of few times that Ichigo even remembered seeing him so serious.

"What the fuck," Renji said after he was done reading. Ichigo took his phone back, shaking his head.

"Exactly."

"Who do you think it is?"

"No clue," Ichigo replied with a shrug. Renji looked at him deadpan, and he returned the look with a confused one of his own. "What?"

"It's obviously Ichinose."

"You think it's Maki? Ren, he graduated and is going God knows where for college. He's not thinking about what happened anymore just like I'm not. It's over."

"Okay, but you're the one who told me he showed up at your job."

"Granted, but he hasn't done that since. I haven't heard from him, not that that'd be possible since I blocked him. But still, I don't think he'd do something like this over something as petty as what happened between us."

"Damn, I guess you're right. I don't know then."

"Me either, and it's giving me a fucking fit."

"Have you talked to Grimmjow about it?" Renji asked, and Ichigo shook his head. "Why not?"

"He's got enough going on. He doesn't need to be bothered with this too."

"Are you dumb?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused, dumbass," Renji replied, nonchalantly chewing on a bite of the sandwich he'd been eating.

"You best elaborate before you get that ass beat," Ichigo said, and Renji rolled his russet eyes.

"Dude, you and Grimmjow are together. He cares about you; a blind dude could see that shit. I'm a hundred percent sure he'd want to know about this. You need to talk to him."

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right. Now get outta my house and go talk to your man."

Ichigo chuckled at that, waving to his friend before he got up and left the room. He said goodbye to Renji's mother and headed out the front door, making his way to his car. As he drove in the direction of Grimmjow's estate, he pondered how he would approach the subject of his stalker. It wasn't the easiest topic to get into, but he thought he'd be able to figure something out. He decided to just go about it the same way he'd done it with Renji, except he wouldn't wait for the man to prod him about it. He'd just tell him.

Soon he was pulling up at the gates. He drove through them, following the winding driveway up to the front entrance. When he got there, he was confused. Two town cars were already in front of the house. He parked anyway and got out of the car, locking the doors behind him. When he made it to the front door, he rang the bell and waited. The door opened, revealing his lover who's face was marred with discomfort, seemingly at the sight of Ichigo.

"What are you doing here, babe?" Grimmjow asked, and Ichigo found himself stuttering his response, surprised that Grimmjow didn't seem too thrilled to see him.

"I, umm, I need to talk to you."

"You couldn't have called?"

"I'm sorry," the teen said, feeling himself blushing. I would've made sense for him to call before he just flew over there. He hadn't thought about it beforehand though.

"It's okay, don't stress it," Grimmjow said, leaning down to place a kiss on Ichigo's forehead. "Now's just not the best time."

"Why's that?" Ichigo asked, his curiosity getting the best of him. Grimmjow sighed, rubbing his temple.

"Because my parents are here."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading...until next time,
> 
> Patd06


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